


Two Turtle Doves

by yaoichan12



Series: Holiday Stories [1]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Christmas fic, F/M, First Love, Fluff, Gen, Humor, M/M, young Spock and Jim
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-16
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-05-07 03:45:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 24,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5442167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yaoichan12/pseuds/yaoichan12
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>“Do you…wanna run away to New York City with me?” Jim asked hesitantly.</em>
  <br/>
  <em>“I…um…” Spock started to say.  He looked behind him towards where the terminal he needed to be was and then back to Jim.  The boy’s big blue eyes were pleading Spock to go with him. All his logical reasons left him and he caved.  He was drawn to this human boy and he felt he need to be with him.</em>
  <br/>
  <em>“How will we get to New York City?” Spock asked.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Home Alone 2 AU.  Spock meets Jim at a starbase above Earth and decides to run off to New York City with Jim for a magical Christmas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Run Away With Me

**Author's Note:**

> Another holiday story! Yay!

Three days before Christmas, the space station just above Earth was packed with people all ages and species trying to get to their destinations for the holidays.

Thirteen year old Spock was ignoring the crowd as his attention was solely on his new junior tricorder his father had presented to him earlier that day as a definitely not Christmas present.  He tried staying close to his parents as they were going through a security checkpoint in the station that led to the various starships and transports.

“Spock, when he board the ship, your father and I going to go straight to our quarters,” Amanda told her son.  She reached a hand out and smoothed down his hair.  He was so wrapped up in his tricorder that he did not care that his mother was touching him or talking to him.

“Spock, did you hear me?”

.

.

.

Amanda chuckled and then gently pinched one of his pointy ears.  Spock scrunched up his face and moved his head away. 

“I heard you mother,” Spock answered.  “I will be going to the observation deck for some solitude once we board.”

“So you can play with your Christmas present?” Amanda smiled and asked.

“It is not a Christmas present,” Sarek and Spock said at the same time.

Amanda laughed as her Vulcans shook their heads at her illogicalness. The family then grabbed their bags from the security scan and started heading towards their terminal.  As they fought the crowds, Spock was trying to get his files from his old tricorder transferred to his new one all while pulling his small suitcase behind him but he needed his PADD that was in his father’s satchel.

“Spock, please keep up,” his mother called to him as she and Sarek had gotten several feet away from him.  “I don’t want to accidentally leave you behind.”

Spock scurried closer to his parents and tugged on his father’s jacket sleeve. Sarek glanced back to his son.

“My PADD please, sa-mekh,” Spock said.

“I will give it to you when he have boarded the starship,” Sarek said before being bumped into by a Bolian.  Sarek raised a brow at the retreating person before shaking his head.  He grabbed his wife around the waist and pulled her close to him to make sure she was not being bumped into by anyone.

“Father,” Spock insisted.  “It will take my one point three minutes to install my files.  If you could just…”

Sarek internally sighed and shook off the satchel from his shoulder and handed the bag to his son.  Spock grabbed it and stopped walking.  He crouched down, opened the bag and removed his PADD.  He quickly synched his new tricorder to it and downloaded his files.  He placed the PADD and his new tricorder into the bag and stood up.  He went to hold the satchel out to his father but noticed his parents were not there. He looked around and could not see them anywhere.  There were just crowds of people moving all around him to their destinations.

Spock sighed and put the satchel over his shoulder and then grabbed the handle to his suitcase.

_Terminal 9C,_ he thought before being suddenly grabbed by the arm by someone.  He turned his head and saw an older human woman with a communicator to her ear.

“I have another of the kids who wandered off, Jan,” the woman said into the communicator before dragging Spock away.  “…well next time we do this school trip let’s make sure it’s not during one of the busiest travel times of the year.  The kids are getting lost left and right! I don’t even know how many we’re supposed to have.”

Spock quirked an eyebrow up and tried saying to the woman, “Excuse me, but I am not with your group.”

The woman ignored him and led him over to a waiting area that had roughly twenty or so kids of various ages sitting and standing about. She pushed Spock into an empty seat before walking over to a man near one of the groups of kids.

Spock shook his head and went to get up to find his parents when he noticed another kid being pushed into a seat next to him.

“Jim, if you run off one more time,” the woman who had put him in the seat said. “I will call your mother and stepfather in a heartbeat.  Is that understood?”

“Yes, Jan,” the boy, Jim, replied sarcastically.

Jan rolled his eyes and walked away.  Jim stuck his tongue out at her back and then crossed his arms over his chest.  He then noticed Spock and turned to look at him. 

Spock breath hitched at seeing how bright and blue Jim’s eyes were. 

“You’re not in our group,” Jim said.  “We don’t have any Vulcans at my school.”

Spock shook his head and then said, “I was mistakenly grabbed by one of the adults in charge of your group.  My parents should be at terminal 9C.”

“Going home for Christmas?”

“Christmas is an illogical Terran holiday.”

Jim smiled at that which made his twinkle, “Christmas is like the best time of the year.  The music, snow, presents…it’s awesome.”

“If you say so.”

“I do say so,” Jim said and then sighed and looked away.  “This Christmas is going to suck.  My grandma used to go it right.  Trimming the tree, nutcrackers, cocoa by the fire, but she died earlier this year.  My mom hasn’t even put up a tree.  Says I’m getting to old for all the Christmas stuff and it’s not like my brother cares about it either. Frank just…well he sucks.”

“I grieve with thee for the loss of your grandmother.”

Jim looked back to Spock and gave him a small smile, “Thanks. Do Vulcans celebrate Christmas?”

“No, but as my mother is human, she occasionally insists that we engage in some type of…merriment during this time.”

“Is that why you were on Earth? Engaging in merriment?”

Spock nodded, “Partially.  A cousin of my mother got married last week.  We went to the wedding in Seattle and then helped my maternal grandparents pick out a Christmas tree as well as participate in the start of Hanukkah.”

“Oh cool.  I bet ya’ll picked out a big tree and decorated it.”

“We chose a moderately size tree.  I did not participate in decorating it, though.  I do not see the point.”

“Don’t see the point?  Ugh!” Jim then groaned.  “Decorating the tree is so much fun!  I like picking out all the ornaments and the lights and tinsel.  Have you ever seen the giant tree in Rockefeller center in New York City?”

 “I have never been to New York City.”

“Wish we could go,” Jim sighed, slumping back in his chair. “New York City at Christmastime is the best from what I’ve seen in movies.  The lights, snow in Central Park, all the ice-skating rinks…the toy stores!”

“Perhaps your mother and stepfather will take you and your brother,” Spock said before looking around the terminal.  “I must depart now.”

Jim looked at him sadly before nodding, “Oh…okay.  It was nice chatting with you…”

“Spock.”

“Spock,” Jim said with a smile.  “I’m Jim. Jim Kirk.”

Spock nodded and then stood up.  He grabbed his suitcase up and adjusted the satchel on his shoulder. Spock looked to Jim and held his hand up in a Vulcan salute.

“Live long and prosper, Jim Kirk,” Spock said before turning and going to leave even though he really wanted to stay and talk more with Jim.  He managed to take two steps when he felt someone grabbed his satchel.  He turned around and saw Jim standing there.  With them standing, he noticed that the human was shorter than him by roughly three inches.

“Do you…wanna run away to New York City with me?” Jim asked hesitantly.

“I…um…” Spock started to say.  He looked behind him towards where the terminal he needed to be was and then back to Jim.  The boy’s big blue eyes were pleading for Spock to go with him.

“It would not be logical to go to a major Terran city unaccompanied, Jim.  Also my parents would not approve of me leaving them without notice.”

“Guess you’ve never run away from home then?” Jim sighed before plopping down in his seat and looking away.  “It would be a fun adventure running off to New York, but your right…it’s not logical.  You probably only do logical things.”

Spock looked down and thought of his illogical emotional outburst one point four three years ago when he got into a physically altercation with Stonn at school. He also recalled when he was seven and he left home to try and complete his kahs-wan prematurely. Spock thought of all the logical reasons not to run away with Jim to New York City and was about to tell Jim ‘no’ when the blonde looked at him with his big blue eyes.

All his logical reasons left him and he caved.  He was drawn to this human boy and he felt he need to be with him.

“How will we get to New York City?” Spock asked.

Jim light up at that.  His blue eyes were bright in excitement as he jumped up from his seat and grabbed up his own backpack and his duffle bag.

“Terminal 4! We can sneak on. It’s easy.”

Spock nodded, “Lead the way.”

* * *

 

Amanda settled into the quarters on the ship and sat down on the bed.  She toed off her shoes and sighed in relief as Sarek entered the room and placed his suitcase on the bed.

“How long is the trip back to Vulcan again?” Amanda asked.

“Three days with a stop at a starbase in one point eight days,” Sarek replied.  “We would have been home sooner had you not insisted on public means of transport.”

“Using a private starship is a waste, Sarek. Wonder what Spock is up to on the observation deck.  Probably taking his new tricorder apart and installing software.  He was quiet as we boarded.”

“Indeed.”

Amanda smiled at her husband, “It was sweet of you to give him that Christmas present.”

“It is not a Christmas present, wife.  It was a logical gift as he requested a new tricorder two point three one months ago.”

“Uh-huh, sure.”

Sarek looked to his wife and raised a brow.  She stuck her tongue at her and then giggled when he shook his head.

_Such an illogical woman,_ she heard him say through their bond.

Amanda leaned back on the bed and closed her eyed before getting a feeling.  She opened them and sat up.

“Something is wrong.”

Sarek rummaged through his suitcase in search of his PADD and told his wife, “Nothing is wrong, ashal-veh.  Where is my PADD?”

“In your satchel which Spock has,” Amanda said.

“I will retrieve it from him later than.  I require mediation now.  Traveling through those crowds was taxing.”

“Something…”

“Beloved, nothing is wrong,” Spock looked at his wife and said.  He walked over to her and sat next to her on the bed.  “Our luggage is here and our son is on the observation deck with his tricorder. Nothing is wrong.”

Amanda sighed and agreed with her husband even though she still had the feeling that something was wrong.

* * *

 

Spock and Jim had managed to sneak aboard a shuttle bound for New York City with ease.  Spock made a mental note to send an anonymous tip to the starbase later to explain their lapse in security, though.  Jim was beside him in a seat brimming in excitement.

“It’s going to be so great!  New York!  The first thing we should do is go to central park, Spock.”

“Negative, Jim, the first thing we should do is find proper accommodations for the night and then sight-see.”

“Oh yeah…we should do that,” Jim said before grabbing his backpack from the floor and opening it.  Spock watched the boy rifle through it for a few moments before pulling out a wallet.  Jim dropped his backpack to the floor and opened his wallet and took out a credit chip.

“I think I have…maybe a hundred credits on here,” Jim told Spock.  “My mom only gave it to me for the trip but I only used like fifteen credits of it at a joke shop.  We could be frugal and just get a crappy motel somewhere.”

Jim chuckled at seeing Spock make a little face at the term ‘crappy motel’. Spock shook his head at the human and then opened his father’s satchel.  Spock pulled out his PADD and pulled up his banking information.  He only had a few hundred credits himself so he put his PADD back into the bag.  Spock then pulled out his father’s personal PADD and logged into his parent’s account.  

_They gave me the passcode so that could access the account in cases of emergency,_ Spock thought.  _This would be an emergency…correct?  They would not wish for me to stay in a crappy motel._

“May I see your credit chip?” Spock asked.  Jim nodded and handed over the chip.  Their fingers made contact and a spark occurred between them.  Jim gasped slightly and dropped the chip as Spock jerked his hand away, his eyes widening.

_T’hy’la._

“You shocked me,” Jim accused and then laughed.  “Static electricity, huh? I read that you Vulcans are touch telepaths…did you read my mind?”

All Spock could do was shake his head as Jim leaned forward and picked up the chip. He made sure not to touch Spock as he handed over the chip again.  Spock snapped out of his revelation and inserted the chip into the PADD.  He transferred over some credits and then handed the chip back to Jim.

“That should be enough for nice hotel and meals.”

Jim smiled big and nodded, “Great. This is gonna be so great!”

“You said that already.”

Jim turned in his seat and grabbed Spock by the shoulders, “That’s because this is gonna be so great!”

Spock raised bother eyebrows at that, “I am starting to change my mind about accompanying you.”

Jim laughed which made Spock’s stomach flutter. 

* * *

 

Spock had checked on the weather of New York City and found that it was too cold for what he was wearing.  He only had a thick sweater and pants at the moment while Jim was wearing jeans and a hoodie.  They went into a clothing store in the transport station as soon as they landed and bought themselves thick winter coats, gloves, hats and scarves.  Jim had grinned at seeing Spock all cocooned in the winter clothes.

“Vulcan is a desert planet," Spock told him. 

“I know.  So we should head to the hotel first?”

“Yes,” Spock agreed before pulling out a tourist guide from his pocket.  “I purchased this book which offers reviews of various hotels in the city.  Perhaps we should…”

“The Plaza,” Jim interrupted.

Spock looked up from the book and quirked an eyebrow, “Is that a hotel?”

Jim nodded, “It’s the best hotel for Christmas.  C’mon.”  Jim then grabbed Spock’s jacket covered arm and pulled him over to a corner of the transport stations so they were not in the way of the crowds.  Jim took a communicator from his pocket, dropped his duffle bag down and then shrugged off his backpack.  Jim knelt down and rummaged through the pack for several moments before saying, “Ah-ah!”  He pulled a small device from the bag and stood up.

“I bought this at a joke shop.  It changes your voice.”

“For what purpose?”

“Well for right now you are going to use it to make us hotel reservations.  We’re kids, we can’t just pop into a hotel by ourselves and rent a room.”

“We are still underage, Jim."

Jim rolled his eyes, “I have a plan, Spock.” Jim handed the voice changer to Spock and took the tourist guide from Spock.  He flipped through the pages and found the number for the Plaza.  He entered the number and then held the communicator to Spock’s mouth.

“You have to do it because you talk more proper than me.”

“More proper? That is not…” Spock stopped talking when a receptionist answered the call.  Spock stared at the communicator then to Jim.

“Hold the changer to your mouth and press the button,” Jim whispered.

Spock did as Jim told him and then spoke to the receptionist, “I would like to book a room for tonight.”

Jim bit his bottom lip to keep from laughing at hearing a deep, manly voice come through the voice changer. 

“Certainly, Sir,” the receptionist said.  “As it is three days before Christmas, I am afraid we only have suites available. One is a two bedroom with a king size bed in one room and two double beds in the other.  We also have…”

“The first suite, Spock,” Jim hissed. “Say since you’re traveling with your sons that perfect.”

“The first suite, please,” Spock interrupted the receptionist and repeated what Jim told him.  “I am traveling with my two sons so that would be perfect.”

“Very well, Sir.  How long will you be staying?”

Spock looked to Jim who just shrugged so Spock said, “Until the 26th.”

“The rate will be four thousand five hundred and ninety-five credits a night.”

Jim’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head at hear that.  He was about to tell Spock to cancel it but the Vulcan said, “That will be alright.”

“What is the name for the reservation?”

“Sarek.  Ambassador Sarek of Vulcan.  My son, Spock, will be checking in with his younger brother while I attend a meeting,” Spock lied. He had never really lied before and he did not particularly enjoy it.

Jim’s mouth dropped at that as Spock finished the call with the receptionist and then disconnected the call.  He moved the voice changer away from his mouth and raised an eyebrow at Jim.

“Your mouth is open, Jim.”

“Dude! Why’d you lie like that?  You could’ve just said my name is Bob Smith and I could’ve work with that, but you go and say Ambassador Sarek of Vulcan!  What if they check that?”

“If they check that then they will see that I am, indeed, Spock son of Ambassador Vulcan.”

“No shit? Seriously?”

“Yes, now we should depart and check into the hotel,” Spock said before handing Jim back his communicator and voice changer. Jim nodded and shoved his stuff back into this backpack.

* * *

 

Spock watched how excited Jim was as they drove to the hotel in a cab Jim had happily hailed outside the transport station.  Jim had pulled out his PADD and started snapping pictures of all the buildings and sights they passed on the ride.

_He is, what my mother would say, cute,_ Spock thought. He then thought about his parents and whether or not he should message them that he was alright. _That would defeat the purpose of running away then, wouldn’t it?_

He snapped out of his thoughts when Jim struck his hand out to him and hit him on the arm, “The hotel!”

Spock looked out the window at the majestic hotel as the cab pulled up to it.  Jim was beaming as a doorman from the hotel opened the door for them.  Spock quickly paid the cabby and grabbed his suitcase and satchel before following Jim out of the cab and into the hotel. 

“Whoa!” Jim exclaimed as they entered the hotel.

Spock internally agreed with his human companion.  The hotel was definitely decked out for the holidays with gold tinsel about with wreaths and a big Christmas tree in the center of the room.  It was a pleasing sight to Spock.

“It’s like a dream,” Jim whispered.  “So pretty.”

Spock looked to Jim and nodded, “Indeed.”

Jim turned his head to Spock and gave him a big smile, “Thank you for coming with me.”

Spock’s heart started beating faster.  He couldn’t figure out how to reply to he nodded.  Jim chuckled and the grabbed his arm and pulled him over to the check-in desks.

Jim wasn’t as tall as the desk so he stood on his tiptoes to smile at the older, stern looking woman standing there.

“Hello,” Jim said in a sweet voice.  “My brother and I are here to check in.”

The woman, whose name tag read ‘Gretchen’, raised an eyebrow at Jim and Spock before saying, “What is the name on the reservation?”

“Sarek.”

Gretchen typed at her computer terminal and then looked back to Jim and Spock, “Ambassador Sarek of Vulcan?”

Jim smiled, “Yep.  That’s our dad.”

“You are Vulcan?”

Jim’s eyes narrowed but before he could say anything Spock spoke up, “I am Spock.  My brother, Jim, was adoptive eight point nine years ago, not that that is any of your business, ma’am.  My father called earlier and booked the room and specially said that Jim and I would be checking in while he attends a meeting.  If there is a problem I can contact my father and interrupt his meeting so that he can explain to you our family tree.”

Gretchen’s eyes went wide.  She shook her head and forced a smile, “No. No, that won’t be necessary, Mr. Spock.  We can check you in and when your father arrives he can sign for the room and costs.  Did he…did he leave you with a method of payment for the room?”

Spock looked to Jim.  The blonde nodded and pulled out the credit chip from his pocket and handed it to Gretchen. 

“Is there enough on it?” Jim asked Spock quietly out of the side of his mouth while Gretchen handled the chip.

“I transferred twenty thousand onto it so yes, there should be enough.”

“The chip is just needed for the room information,” Gretchen said.  “Your father will need to pay the complete bill at check-out on the 26th.”  Gretchen handed the chip back and then snapped her fingers over to a Ferengi bell boy.  The bell boy quickly came over to them and Gretchen handed him key card, “These young men are Ambassador Sarek’s sons.  They will be in the Park Suite.”

“Of course,” the bell boy whose name tag read ‘Pok’ then turned to Jim and Spock and held his hands out to them.  “Your bags, Sirs.”

Jim smiled and handed over his backpack and duffle bag as Spock said he could manage on his own.  Pok then led the boys over to an elevator and ushered them in.

* * *

 

“This is the Park Suite,” Pok told them as they came to a door on the ninth floor.  Pok swiped the card key over the lock and the door opened right up.  Pok held his hand our signally for the boys to enter first.  Jim’s jaw dropped at seeing how big the room was when he entered. 

“This is the living room area, complete with a small kitchenette, dining table, and also a stocked mini bar,” Pok explained.  The Ferengi then moved over to double doors to the right of the living room and opened them to reveal two double beds.  He sat Jim’s bags on one of the beds before moving across the living room to another set of double doors. “This is the master room with a king bed and bath.  I hope you and your father find the accommodations satisfactory.”

Pok placed the key card on the mantle of the fire place in the room before moving to the door to the suite and standing there expectantly.  Jim eyed him and then looked to Spock.

“He is waiting for a tip, Jim.”

“Ah! Right,” Jim said before walking over to Pok.  Jim shoved a hand into his pants pocket and pulled out a pack of gum.  He took a stick out of the pack and placed it into the bell boy’s waiting hand.  “There you go. Also, another tip…um…don’t do drugs.  Thank you.”

Pok looked taken back at the gum and Jim’s ‘tip’ but he nodded anyway and then left the room.

“Jim, you tip with credits not gum.”

Jim shrugged, “Oh well.  Next time we’ll give him credits, but first I need to do something.”

Spock watched Jim run to the room with the king size bed.  Spock followed and found the human was laughing and jumping up and down on the bed.

“We’re in New York! We’re in New York!” Jim kept repeating as continued jumping on the bed.

“I am aware of that and you should not be jumping on the bed.  You could fall…”

“And break my head!” Jim finished for Spock with a laugh.  “Its fine, Spock! Come jump with me.”

“Fine has variable definitions and I will not jump on the bed.  It is illogical.”

Jim stopped jumping and stared at Spock, “Jump on the bed with me.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“You keep saying ‘yes’ and I am going to keep saying ‘no’, Jim.”

Jim sighed, “C’mon, Spock. Live a little.  Jump on the bed with me.” Jim then gave Spock his signature puppy dog look.

Spock caved.

* * *

 

On the starship, Amanda decided it was time to get Spock and go to the dining hall for dinner.  Sarek put his hand on the small of his wife’s back as they walked to the observation deck to collect their son.  Sarek nodded his head at two Vulcan passengers they passed as they came to the observation deck.  Amanda looked around but could not see where her son was.

“Spock,” Amanda called.

There was no reply. Amanda saw a woman sitting on a bench reading a book so she walked over to her.

“Excuse me, Miss,” Amanda said.  “How long have you been on this deck?”

The woman looked up and thought about the question before saying, “Um…about two hours I think.”

“There was a Vulcan boy here…do you know when he left?”

The woman looked confused, “A Vulcan boy? No, I’m sorry there wasn’t a Vulcan boy here when I arrived and I’ve only seen a couple adult Vulcans here.”

Amanda’s eyes went wide.  She turned to her husband in slight panic.

“Amanda, be calm,” Sarek said smoothly.  “I am sure that our son must be elsewhere on the ship.  We will go to the information desk and see if they can locate him.”

Amanda took in a breath and released it then nodded, “Okay.”

* * *

 

Several moments later, Amanda waited patiently at the information desk after the staff member had called over the speaker for Spock to meet his parents here. Sarek lightly rubbed his wife’s back as they waited. And waited.  And waited.

.

.

.

Ten minutes later, Amanda demanded that they search the ship.

“Amanda…”

“Shush, Sarek,” Amanda said before narrowing her eyes at the staff member.  “Find my son.”

“I will call the Captain and head of security, Lady Amanda.”

* * *

 

The Captain and head of security brought Amanda and Sarek into the security office. 

“Do you have a photo of your son?” Security Officer Levine asked.

Amanda quickly pulled out her PADD from her bag she had with her and pulled up a recent picture of her son.  She handed it to the security officer and watched him transfer the picture over to the ship’s computer.

“I will just run a facial recognition scan of the ship.  Should find him in a matter of seconds,” Levine said.

Amanda took her PADD back and waited.

After a few moments the ships computer voice said, “Not found.”

“No. No, he is on this ship. You find him,” Amanda demanded as she started to get worried. 

“The computer…” Levine tried saying but Amanda cut him off.

“Find. Him.”

He nodded and then pulled up video of passengers boarding the ship.  Amanda wrung her hands together as her eyes scanned the faces and searched for her son. 

_He is onboard, Amanda,_ Sarek assured her.

_He better be. I just...what if he is not...I don't know what I'd do._

_Spock is on..._ Sarek cut off when Levine said, "Here.”

Sarek looked at Levine pointed to the screen.  Amanda looked and saw that it was her and Sarek boarding, but Spock was not there with them. He wasn’t anywhere.

Amanda’s eyes went wide, “SPOCK!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be up Saturday ^-^


	2. Skating, Dinner, and Spock's Green Butt

Spock paused in his walk down the street towards Central Park with Jim when felt his bond with his mother flare up in panic.

_They know I am not on board the ship,_ Spock thought.  _I should contact them._

“Spock? You okay?” Jim asked, looking back to were Spock had stopped walking. 

Spock looked to Jim and nodded, “I am well.”

“Good. Now c’mon.  I want to go ice-skating in the park first.”

“Very well.”

_I will contact my parents later._

* * *

 

Spock sat on the bench outside the rink in the park and stared down at the ice skates he was wearing.  He then looked to Jim who was walking awkwardly in his skates to the rink entrance.  Spock watched him carefully glide onto the ice and skate away.  Spock looked back down to his skates and internally sighed.

_I do not know how to skate._

“Spock!”

The Vulcan looked up and saw Jim leaning against the rink railing, smiling at him.

“C’mon!  It’s fun.”

“I do not know how, Jim.”

Jim’s face fell, “What?  Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?”

“I…”

“It’s fine. I’ll teach you,” Jim interrupted him.  Spock watched Jim get off the rink and walk over to him in the skates. “Stand up first.  Walking in skates isn’t that hard. You just need to balance.”

Spock carefully did as Jim requested and stood up.  His legs shook as he balanced on the ice skates, but he didn’t fall. 

“Will it be okay if we hold hands since your wearing gloves and I’m wearing gloves? No shocking or telepathy.”

Spock thought about it and Jim was correct so he nodded. Jim gave him a big grin which made Spock’s stomach feel funny.  Jim moved to stand beside him and grabbed his hand. 

“Just walk to the rink entrance with me and try not to fall. Remember…balance.”

As Jim took a step forward, so did Spock. Spock had to concentrate hard on keeping his balance and not falling, though.  He was not used to ice skating or any other type of skating. When they got to the entrance Jim told him to hold the railing with his other hand.  Spock did as Jim instructed and then they both carefully took a step onto the ice.  Jim held his hand tightly as Spock gripped the railing and kept himself steady.

“We’ll go around the rink slowly and you can keep your hand onto the side, okay?” Jim asked.

“Okay.”

Jim smiled, “Just glide, Spock.  One foot first then the other.”

Spock nodded.  He slowly moved one foot forward on the ice and then the other.

* * *

 

Ten minutes later, Spock was skating circles around Jim.  Once he had gotten his balance in order and observed how some of the more expert skaters in the rink skated, Spock quickly picked up skating.  Jim had laughed at him and then they started racing around the rink together.

“You’re awesome, Spock,” Jim said.  “It took me forever to get my balance straight when I first started skating.”

Spock ducked his head and if he didn’t have a beanie covering his ears, Jim would be able to see the tips of his pointy ears were tinted green.

Jim and Spock started to slow down when a voice came over the PA system of the rink, “Attention skaters, it is time for everyone to clear the rink except for couples.  It is now time for couples only skating.”

Jim groaned, “We just got here.  I don’t want to stop skating.”

Spock looked around and saw some skaters around his and Jim’s age holding hands and skating around with the adult couples.

“Jim,” Spock said.  “If we hold hands, I believe we will be allowed to continue skating.”

Jim looked at him and then looked around.  He grinned and nodded, “Yeah, let’s do that.”  Jim grabbed the Vulcan’s gloved hand and laced their fingers together.  The corners of Spock’s mouth twitched up in an almost smile as Jim looked away and they started to skate together with their hands clasped together.  Every few moments, as they skated, Spock would glance to Jim and see how happy the human was which made the young Vulcan feel fluttery inside.

* * *

 

“The sun is going down,” Jim commented after they returned the skates.

“Indeed,” Spock replied.  “Perhaps it is time to see the tree?”

Jim shook his head, “Why don’t we wait?  Maybe for Christmas Eve we can go and see it.  It’ll be more special then.”

“That would be pleasant, Jim. Are you hungry?  It is dinner time.”

Jim nodded, “Yeah, dinner.  Um…what does your booklet say about good places to eat?”

Spock pulled the tourist guide from his pocket and flipped through the pages.  He stopped a page and quickly ran his eyes along the page and found a restaurant.

“There is a bistro two point three blocks northwest of our location.  Would that be acceptable?”

“Bistro? Never been to one but alright! Let’s go, Spock!” Jim then grabbed Spock’s gloved hand and pulled him in the right direction.

* * *

 

When they entered the bistro several minutes later, Jim smiled at hearing soft Christmas music playing.  They pulled off their hats and went up to the hostess who smiled at them.

“Table for two?” the human female asked.

Jim nodded, “Yep, two and no kid menus please.  We want the grownup ones.”

The hostess chuckled and nodded before showing them to a two seater table near the front window.  Before Jim and Spock sat down, she asked if she could take their coats for them.  Jim grinned and shook off his coat.  He shoved his hat, gloves and scarf into the coat pockets before handing his coat over.  Spock did the same with his items before handing his coat over as well.  The hostess walked away as Jima and Spock took their seats.

“Never had that happen before,” Jim said.  “She took our coats.  How fancy, Spock?”

“Indeed.”

Jim eyed his new friend then asked, “That isn’t the first time that’s happened to you is it?”

Spock shook his head.  Jim chuckled and then stuck his tongue out at Spock before picked up his adult menu and looking it over.

“Oh yummy…they have a roast chicken with mashed potatoes, gravy, and green beans,” Jim cooed.  He looked up to Spock and smiled, “That is a great holiday dinner right there.  Vulcans are vegetarian, though, right?”

“We are.  I will order the roasted butternut squash soup and a side salad.”

“That sounds pretty good, too,” Jim commented as their waiter, a tall Andorian, came up to their table.  Jim and Spock placed their food orders first and then the Andorian asked for their drink orders.

“A pint of your best beer,” Jim ordered with a straight face.  Spock arched one of his slanted brows at Jim’s order as the Andorian laughed and shook his head.

“Seriously, kid, what would you like to drink?”

“A Shirley Temple please,” Jim then said.

The Andorian nodded and then looked to Spock, “And for you?”

“Hot tea, please.”

Their waiter nodded again before turning and leaving.  Jim sat back in his seat and looked out at the people passing by outside. 

“I enjoyed the ice-skating, Jim.”

Jim turned to look at Spock and gave him a small but dazzling smile, “Me too. You’re a fast learner.”

“You are an acceptable teacher.”

Jim laughed, “Thanks.  So um…what would you like to do while we’re here?  New York has a lot of great shows.  The Rockettes, Nutcracker, um…other ones.”

“I am familiar with the music to the Nutcracker.  I have never seen it before, though.  Also…what are Rockettes?”

“The Rockettes are dancers and they are well known for their Christmas shows.”

“I see. Perhaps we can take in those shows.”

Jim’s face lit up in excitement, “Yeah! That would be great!”

Spock restrained himself from smiling back, he could not stop the light green blush that appeared on his cheeks.  He figured if Jim pointed it out, he would blame the cold.

_I will get us tickets for the shows….it is logical.  Making Jim smile is logical,_ Spock thought.

* * *

 

As the Vulcan and Human finished their dinners, their waiter stopped by with a dessert menu.  Jim’s eyes went wide at seeing all the selections they had.  Jim took one last bite of his meal before pushing the plate to the side and picking up his napkin to wipe his hands and face off.  He then snatched the dessert menu and started listing all the delicious items they had.

Spock eyed Jim’s plate that now had only bones left from the chicken.  Spock felt slightly queasy at the sight before looking away. 

“They have s’mores, Spock! S’mores!”

“I do not know what that is, Jim.”

Jim dropped his menu onto the table in shock.  He stared at the Vulcan across from him, “What? You don’t know what s’mores are?”

“Vulcans are not fond of sweets, Jim.”

Jim let out an exasperated sigh and shook his head.  He picked up the menu as their waiter came by and collected their finished plates.

“What desserts will you two be having this evening?”

“All of them!” Jim exclaimed.

Their waiter laughed, “That would be great but I don’t think you could eat all of it in one sitting.”

“Wanna bet?”

“Jim, perhaps just one item,” Spock said.

“I have a huge sweet tooth, Spock,” Jim groaned.  He looked at the menu then sighed, “Fine.  I’ll get just one item.  The gingerbread cheesecake please.”

“A fine choice,” their waiter said before looking to Spock.  “For you?”

“I do not require dessert.”

“Okay then.  I will be right back with your gingerbread cheesecake then.”

As their waiter left Jim looked across the street and saw a clothing store. 

“I think I need to get a couple things there after we’re done here,” Jim nodded to the store and said.

“Of course.”

* * *

 

“No, Jim.”

“Yes, Spock.”

Spock crossed his arms over his chest and stood his ground. They were in the clothing store and Jim was holding up swim trunks to him.

“Please, Spock! Let’s go swimming!  The hotel has an indoor heated pool!”

“I do not wish to go swimming.”

Jim dropped his arm that was holding the trunks and sagged his shoulders.  He looked to the floor and pouted before glanced up to Spock from beneath his eyelashes.

Spock sucked in a breath and tried to stand his ground.

_No. No swimming,_ Spock told himself. _But…his eyes…they are so blue and big.  I cannot say no._

Spock closed his eyes and reluctantly nodded.  Jim let out a ‘whoop!’ before asking what size Spock would wear.

* * *

 

Spock sat on the edge of the indoor pool in the hotel and dangled his feet in the water.  Jim had found a floaty chair in the pool area and was lounging around in it in the pool.  They were not the only people at the pool area this evening, but they were the only children.  There were two older women, and two older men sitting in the Jacuzzi while one old man did laps along the other side of the pool.

Spock looked down at himself and internally sighed.  He did not like being so unclothed in front of strangers and his swim trunks were slightly too big for him.

“Spock!  Spock, come in the pool!”

Spock looked up and saw Jim waving at him. He shook his head, “I do not wish to get into the pool, Jim.”

“Live a little!  Do a cannonball!”

The older occupants all laughed at the two of them as Spock shook his head.

“Oh go on, young man,” one of the older women said to him.  “Do a cannonball for your friend.”

“I do not know what a cannonball is, ma’am,” Spock replied, standing up.  

“I’ll show you,” Jim called before rolling out of his floaty chair and into the water.  Spock watched the boy swim underwater to the edge where Spock was standing and then pop up from the water.  Jim smiled up at him before climbing out of the pool and standing next to him.

“This is a cannonball,” Jim said before jumping up, over the pool, grabbing his knees to him so he was in the shape of a ball and then landing in the pool with a big splash. The pool occupants clapped as Jim popped out of the water and smiled at Spock again.

Spock thought of how illogical all of this was before closing his eyes and jumping. He did a cannonball and splashed into the water before quickly surfacing and taking a deep breath in.  He swam to the edge of the pool and pulled himself up and out of the pool.  As he stood beside the pool, dripping wet, he heard laughter.  Lots of laughter. 

“You lost your shorts, young man!” one of the occupants in the Jacuzzi exclaimed. 

“Spock! Spock, your butt is green!”

Spock looked down and saw he was no longer wearing his shorts.  His face went completely green as he covered himself and rushed over to where a robe was and put it on.  He then turned and left the pool area as the people kept laughing.

* * *

 

Amanda glared at the ship captain and requested again that he turn the starship around.

“Lady Amanda, I cannot do that,” Captain Ayers told her. “We have five hundred other passengers on board, I cannot just turn…”

“Turn. The. Ship. Around.”

Captain Ayers quaked slightly in his boots at Lady Amanda’s tone, “Ma’am.  I…I cannot do that.  We will be at the starbase soon.  It would take us twice as long to turn back to Earth now.”

“Amanda, the Captain is correct,” Sarek said.  “Once at the starbase we will get quick passage back to Earth’s space station. To our son.”

Amanda nodded and kept herself from crying, “Fine.” She then looked to Captain Ayers and said coldly, “But…but if anything happens to my son, I will hold you personally responsible.”

Captain Ayers gulped and nodded, “Of course, Lady Amanda.  Um…Security Officer Levine is trying to contact the Earth base at the moment.  We will know soon if your son is still on the base.”

“He better be,” Amanda told him.

_He will be, my beloved,_ Sarek assured his wife, wrapping his arms around her in a comforting embrace.

* * *

 

When Jim came back to their suite, he found Spock laying on one of the double beds in the second room.  The Vulcan was under the covers and staring up at the ceiling. Jim shook his head and got cleaned up and in his pajamas before getting under the covers in the other bed.  He made himself comfortable and then turned to face Spock.

“I’m sorry I laughed at your green butt,” Jim offered.

Spock internally sighed and turned away from Jim.

Jim frowned, “Spock.  I am sorry for laughing.  It wasn’t like a mean laugh though.  It was funny that you lost your shorts.”

“I still do no appreciate being laughed at,” Spock said.  “Especially by my friend.”

“I know it sucks to be laughed at.  I get laughed at and picked on at school all the time.”

Spock finally turned over and faced Jim, “Why are you laughed at and picked on?  You seem to be quite charismatic and fun…two traits I thought humans look for in friends.”

“Sometimes I have friends.  We sit together at lunch and hang out but then I do something and they think I’m weird and they don’t want to be my friends for a while.”

“What do you do that they consider weird?”

Jim shrugged, “I can name all the elements.”

“As can I. That is not weird.”

“Well…I also know all their atomic numbers, symbols, and weights.  I know all their characterizations and whether they are stable or not.”

Spock nearly smiled before saying, “I know all of those as well.  It is not weird to know all those things, Jim.”

“I’m ten, Spock, and human.  I’m in the fifth grade but doing high school work and beyond and all the kids in my class are at a fifth grade level. Most of them don’t even know what the periodic table of elements is! They think I’m weird when I show them how smart I am.  I even correct my teachers.  That’s why I get sent to the principal’s office a lot.  Nobody likes a know-it-all they always tell me.  My friends like me when I do normal kids’ stuff with them. Like baseball or riding bikes.”

“No one knows it all, Jim.  I am sure there are things you do not know.”

Jim grinned, “I don’t know a lot about Vulcans.”

“And I do not know about baseball.”

Jim laughed, “Maybe I’ll teach you one day.”

.

.

.

“Hey, Spock?”

“Yes, Jim.”

“Do you have many friends on Vulcan?”

“I do not have any friends, Jim.  Besides you.”

“Why?  You’re really cool.  All emotionally stunted and logical.  Doesn’t that make you a popular guy on Vulcan?”

Spock sighed, “To my peers at school, I am neither Vulcan nor Human and thus have no place.”

Jim sat up in his bed, “I’ll fight them.”

“Jim…”

“Nope. Gonna fight them.  What are they names?”

Spock shook his head and Jim plopped back down onto the bed.

“I can take them.”

“I am sure you can, but as I have already engaged in a physical altercation with them, you do not need to do so as well.”

“You…you got into a fight?”

“Yes.  They said…” Spock paused and then said, “They did not have nice things to say about my mother so I…reacted and a fight ensued.”

“Did you win? Did you get in trouble? Did they get into trouble?”

Spock nearly smiled again at Jim, “I do not believe I won, but I was not the one with a broken nose. My father was…not pleased by my actions while my mother was glad that I stood up for myself.  The others…I do not know if they got into trouble.”

“Fights suck when you don’t know who the winner is,” Jim chuckled. “I’ve been in a couple.”

“I believe that.”

Jim grabbed a pillow from behind him and threw it at Spock.  The Vulcan deflected it and then looked at Jim with a raised eyebrow. Jim replied with blowing Spock a raspberry.

.

.

.

“Hey, Spock?”

“Yes, Jim.”

“I’m glad you came with me.  If you hadn’t then I’d be back home with no one to really celebrate Christmas with.”

“You said that your family does not celebrate anymore now that your grandmother has passed.  I am…sorry.”

Jim nodded, “Yeah, grandma used to do it right, but…no more of that.  Mom is hardly home anymore…she’s in Starfleet and always takes assignments off planet for weeks at a time…sometimes months.  My older brother, Sam, he and Frank don’t get a long so he usually stays at his friends’ houses a lot.”

“Where is your biological father?”

Jim looked sad and turned onto his back and faced the ceiling, “He died the day I was born.  On the Kelvin.”

“George Kirk.”

“Mmhm.  Mom married Frank like a year ago and he’s a jerk.”

Spock stared at Jim and wished he could do something to make this Christmas even more special for him. 

Jim turned to Spock and gave him a soft smile, “Nighty night, Spock.  We’ll continue our adventure in the morning.”

“Indeed.  Goodnight, Jim,” Spock replied.  Jim then turned over onto his other side away from Spock and went to sleep.  Spock stayed up for a while and thought of what he could do for his t’hy’la. 

_Rockettes. Nutcracker,_ Spock thought.  _Jim would enjoy seeing those shows. I will procure us tickets in the morning. I should also contact my parents…but I do not wish to end our adventure early.  I am sure they know I am alright._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 will be up Monday :)


	3. Rockettes, Laughter, and Snowballs

**December 23 rd**

Spock woke before Jim early in the morning.  He meditated and sent some waves of calmness to his mother so she would know that he was well.  He then got ready for the day; taking a sonic shower before putting on a sweater that he had purchased the day before and some slacks he had packed in his suitcase.  Spock pulled on his double knit socks and boots and ordered room service. He figured his human companion would eat almost anything so he ordered Jim pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, with orange juice and a fruit and yogurt for himself. 

Spock then thought of how he could procure tickets for Jim’s shows.  He looked to his father’s PADD but then remembered the hotel had a concierge desk in the lobby.  He knew that most upscale hotels had ways to get tickets on short notice. Spock checked to make sure Jim was still asleep and then went downstairs.

The Vulcan stood before the concierge desk and looked up to the human male manning it. The man gave Spock an odd look before giving Spock a weird smile. Spock noted that the man’s name tag read ‘Hector’.

“Can I help you?” Hector asked.

“I am staying here with my father, Ambassador Sarek,” Spock lied.  “My brother and I would like to attend the Rockettes show as well as the Nutcracker.  Do you have tickets?”

Hector eyed Spock before looking down to the computer terminal of his desk.  He periodically glanced to Spock as he typed and searched before smiling and looking to Spock, “When would you like to see the shows?”

“We would like to see the Rockettes today if possible and the Nutcracker tomorrow.”

“There is an 11AM show this morning for the Rockettes and a 2PM show for the Nutcracker tomorrow.”

“We will take two tickets in the best seats you have,” Spock told Hector.  “I would also like a hoverlimo to take us to the show this morning.”

Hector’s smile dropped, “Is your father here?”

“My father will be in our suit this morning and afternoon dealing with diplomatic affairs.  He does not wish to be disturbed.”

Hector’s weird smile came back as he nodded, “Why of course, Sir.  I will charge your room for the tickets and I will have them available soon. Your limo will be out front, ready to take you and your brother to Radio City Music Hall at 10 o’clock.”

“Thank you,” Spock said before turning on his heel and heading back upstairs.

Hector watched the Vulcan boy leave and then turned to the front door to snap at Pok to come over to him.

“Who was that?” Hector asked, nodding to where Spock had just gotten on the elevator.

“Ambassador Sarek’s son,” Pok replied. “They checked in yesterday afternoon.”

“Have you seen Ambassador Sarek since those boys have arrived?”

The Ferengi thought about it then shook his head, “Can’t say that I have.”

Hector nodded and then thought he’d check up on the boys later.

*********************

“Where are we going?” Jim questioned as Spock led him through the lobby a few hours later. “It’s like ten, Spock.  I thought we’d sleep in and then…”

“Here are your tickets,” a voice said. 

Jim turned to see a creepy looking guy standing there, holding an envelope out to Spock.

“Thank you,” Spock told Hector, taking the tickets from him and placing them into this coat pocket.

“Your limo is right out front and will take you anywhere you would like to go to today.”

“Limo?” Jim asked, looking from the creepy guy to Spock.

Spock nodded, “We are going to see the Rockettes, Jim.”

Jim’s eyes went wide and he lit up with a big smile, “Really?!  You…you got us tickets? And a limo?!  You’re the best, Spock!” Jim then wrapped his arms around Spock in a big hug before releasing the Vulcan and then running out the front doors towards the limo. Spock looked to Hector and saw the man was looking at Spock oddly.  Spock raised a slanted brow before following after Jim. 

When Spock stepped outside he blinked and looked up to see it was starting to lightly snow.  Spock furrowed his brows together and shook his head. He looked to Jim and saw the blonde was standing with his arms raised up and out to the side, his head thrown back, eyes closed and his mouth open with his tongue sticking out.

Spock stared at him in awe for a few moments before asking, “Jim? What are you doing?”

Jim turned his head towards Spock, his eyes shining brightly as he smiled at the Vulcan, “It’s snowing, Spock.”

“Obviously."

Jim snorted and put his arms down, “Ready to roll, Spock?”

Spock raised both brows which made Jim laugh and say, “Just get in the limo, Spock.”

Spock nodded and did as Jim told him.

*********************

Amanda and Sarek were ones of the first off the starship when it arrived at the starbase.  Amanda immediately went to a ticket terminal and demanded to know when the next passage to Earth was leaving.  Sarek stood back and pulled out his communicator.

“I need to get back to the Earth station,” Amanda told the ticket counter attendant.

“Ma’am, all passages back to Earth are sold out,” the attendant replied.  “The next available passage would be in…fourteen hours.”

Amanda closed her eyes and focused on her parental bond with Spock.  She knew he was well from the calmness he was sending her.  She took in a deep breath and released it before opening her eyes.

“That is not acceptable.  My son is at the Earth station.  I need to get to my boy immediately.”

“Amanda,” Sarek called to his wife.

Amanda waved him off and pleaded with the attendant, “Please get me on the next ship.”

“Ma’am, I wish I could, but nothing is available.”

“Amanda,” Sarek tried again.  His wife shook her head and kept tears back as she turned to her husband.

“Sarek, I need to get to him.”

“He is not on the Earth station anymore.”

Amanda’s eyes went wide, “What? Where…where is he?”

“Apparently he was taken by a woman…”

“MY SON HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED!?” Amanda yelled causing everyone in the vicinity to turn and look at her.

Sarek shook his head and reached out to his wife and grabbed her gently by her wrists, “Be calm, my beloved.  He was not kidnapped.  The woman was a part of a school group and thought he was with their group.”

Amanda nodded and calmed down slightly, “He is with a school group then?”

“No.  He and a human boy wandered off from the group and snuck aboard a transport shuttle to New York City.”

“He did what? Why would he do that?”

“I do not know.  The authorities are attempting to track them down.  Spock also moved a large sum of credits from our account.”

Amanda shook her head as Sarek released her wrists, “Is he running away with this boy? We need to get to Spock.”  Amanda then turned to the ticket attendant and banged her fist down on the counter. “I need transportation to Earth right now!”

The attendant visibly flinched and backed away from the counter. Sarek took his wife’s wrist again and led her away from the counter. 

“I will get us transportation, Amanda,” Sarek said. 

Amanda took a seat at a bench Sarek led her over to and then started to tear up.  Her son was so far away and she didn’t know why he left and went to New York.  “Why’d he run away, Sarek?”

“He did not run away,” Sarek told her. “I am certain there is a logical reason he left with that boy to New York City.”

Amanda sniffled and nodded, “I am sure, too.” She looked up to her husband, her brown eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Sarek disliked seeing his wife cry and feeling her turmoil over their missing boy through their bond.  He knelt down in front of her and reached his hand out to cup her cheek.  She smiled at him as he rubbed his thumb under her eye to clear the tears there.

“We get back to Earth and find our son, my beloved,” Sarek assured her.  “Please cease crying.”

Amanda chuckled and nodded, “I’ll go to the restroom and freshen up.  You will take care of transportation?”

“I will,” Sarek replied before standing and walking to the ticket counters.

Amanda stood and went into the nearby restroom and cleaned up.  As she came out, she got an idea.

*********************

“That. Was. So. COOL!” Jim exclaimed as they came out of Radio City Music Hall after the show.

Spock nodded, “It was an interesting show.”

Jim smiled and then put his arm around Spock’s shoulders, “Do the kicks with me?”  Jim then proceeded to kick his legs up while Spock stood prone and shook his head. After a moment, Jim realized Spock wasn’t going to do it with him. Jim laughed and shook his head as their limo pulled up.

“You’re no fun, Spock.”

“I am aware.”

Jim laughed some more and then got into the limo.  Spock nearly smiled at his friend before getting into the limo as well.  Spock shut the door behind him and setting back into the seat as Jim picked up the small communicator device from the mini bar in the limo.

“Driver?” Jim spoke into the communicator.

“Yes, Sir?” the driver responded.

“Can you take us to the biggest toy store in the city?”

“Of course, Sir.”

Jim put the communicator back and then looked to Spock and grinned.

Spock arched a brow, “Why are we going to a toy store?”

“So I can get you a Christmas present.”

Spock’s heart sped up, “You…you wish to get me a present?”

“Yep!  I get you one and you’ll get me one.”

Spock looked out the window and his shoulder’s sagged, “I am not familiar with purchasing presents.  I would not know what to get you?”

Jim scooted closer to Spock and put his arm around his shoulders, “Just…get me something fun. I will like whatever it is you get me.”

Spock looked to Jim and nodded, _I will get Jim a gift that makes him smile._

_*********************_

The toy store was indeed that biggest in all of New York City. Spock stood in the middle of the store and slowly turned to view all of the toys and Christmas decorations.  It was as if Christmas threw up in the store.

“Spock,” Jim called to his friend.

Spock shook his head and stopped turning to look at Jim.

“I’m gonna go find you a present now.  You go find one for me and we’ll meet up in…twenty minutes? At the front of the store?”

Spock nodded, “Yes, Jim.”

Jim gave him a big smile before turning and running off somewhere in the store.  Spock internally sighed.  He did not know what to purchase for Jim.

Spock turned and went the opposite way Jim went and started looking through the various items the store had available. 

 _Jim would not like that,_ Spock commented as he went up and down the toy aisles.  _Not that…or that…or that…_ Spock internally sighed again and was about to give up when he saw something that grabbed his attention.  He picked up the rectangular box from the shelf and looked it over.

“Easy bake oven,” Spock read.  _Jim said to get him something fun and he does have a sweet tooth he said. Yes, I will purchase this for Jim and he will be happy._

Spock nodded to himself before heading towards the checkout counter with the gift for Jim.  He patiently stood in line and when it was his turn he placed the box on the counter and took his credit chip from his pocket.  The older gentleman whose name tag read ‘Al’ at the counter rang up his item.

“Would you like this gift wrapped, young man, for no extra charge?” Al asked. 

“Yes, please,” Spock replied.  Al smiled at him then handed the box to a woman behind him to wrap. 

“Your total is 45 credits,” Al said.  “Would you care to donate five credits to the children’s hospital and make your total 50 credits?”

“I would like to donate 55 credits to make the total 100.”

Al’s eyes went wide as Spock held out his credit chip. He then smiled at Spock and thanked him before scanning his chip. Al handed the chip back to Spock and said, “For your generous donation, you may pick an ornament from the tree.” Al indicated the small Christmas tree on the counter next to him. 

Spock stared at the tree before looking to Al and raising an eyebrow.

Al chuckled and then asked, “May I make a suggestion?”

Spock nodded. Al reached to the tree and took two white doves off of it.  He turned to Spock and presented them to the young Vulcan.  

“Two ornaments?”

“Two turtle doves.  What you do is…you keep one and you give the other one to a very special person.  You see turtle doves are a symbol of friendship and love.”

 _T’hy’la,_ Spock thought.

Al continued, “As long as each of you have your turtledove…you’ll be friends forever.”

“I did not know that,” Spock admitted.  “Thank you for the turtle doves.  I have a…special person in mind for the other dove.” 

“That is wonderful,” Al told him as the woman behind him handed him back the oven; wrapped and placed in a gift bag.  Al placed the turtle doves into the bag as well and then handed it over to Spock. “You have a very Merry Christmas, young man.”

“You too,” Spock replied before turning and exiting the store.  Spock sat his bag down and put his gloves on and then pulled his beanie on over his ears. 

“Spock! Took you long enough!” Jim yelled from the limo.  Spock looked up and saw Jim had his head up thru the sun roof of the limo. “Get in the limo! I bought us a small Christmas tree and ornaments so we can have a tree in our room!”

*********************

Sarek nearly glared at the seventh ticket attendant that told him passage wasn’t available even to an Ambassador.  Sarek wanted Spock back just as much as his wife did.  While he knew Spock was well from their parental bond, Amanda’s distress that their son was missing was leaking thru their marriage bond and affecting Sarek.

The ticket attendant was starting to get short with Sarek and the Vulcan was about to reach across the counter to nerve pinch the attendant when he felt someone grabbed his arm.  He turned to see it was his wife standing there with a big smile on her face.

“Wife?”

“I have procured us passage back to Earth,” Amanda told him.

“How?”

“I made a call to T’Pau and explained the situation.  She then called Starfleet.  The USS Olympus is nearby and will pick us up in twenty minutes.”

“Amanda…”

“Sarek, I want my kanbu back.”

“As do I.”

Amanda held out two fingers for a Vulcan kiss which Sarek met.  Amanda then grabbed his wrist and started pulling him towards a transporter room.

*********************

When they had returned to the hotel, they had ordered lunch through room service and had eaten and put up their tree.  Jim had picked some pretty ornaments and Spock had made sure the there was an even number of big ones and small ones on the tree. Jim then threw silver tinsel onto the tree which made Spock shake his head. 

Jim plugged the tree in and they watched it light up with colorful lights that had come on the tree.  Jim’s eyes went wide in excitement.  He smiled big before grabbing Spock’s hand and holding it as he continued to stare at their tree.

Spock froze at the contact.  Neither he nor Jim were wearing gloves so Spock was bombarded with feelings of wonderment, happiness, and a smidge of sadness. Spock squeezed Jim’s hand before pulling his away and putting his hands behind his back.

“Why are you sad?” Spock asked.

Jim looked to Spock with a quizzical expression.

“You…your eyes.  They look sad,” Spock lied.  He was getting used to lying but did not like it.

“Oh…well…I guess it’s just…I miss my grandma.”

“She made your Christmases special.”

Jim nodded, “She did.”  Jim then went to the tree and fiddled with a few of the ornaments. 

Spock remembered the turtle doves and went to his bag.  He brought it over to the tree and placed the wrapped present on the table next to the tree.  Jim walked away and then came back with a wrapped present and sat it on the other side of the tree.  Jim then went to a bag he had on the couch and pulled out a package. 

Spock looked away and hung the turtle doves together on the tree.  He almost smiled at the sight of the tree.  His grandparents Christmas tree had been pleasant but Spock liked this tree…his and Jim’s tree better.

Spock turned around and raised a brow at the sight before him.  Jim had an inflatable figure next to him that was four feet taller than the human.

“Jim, why?”

“I don’t know.  I saw it and thought…I need it.”

Spock shook his head and was about to suggest where to put it when someone knocked on the door.  The Vulcan and human turned to the door as someone knocked again.  This time a voice followed the knock, calling through the door, “Ambassador Sarek?”

Jim and Spock looked at each other.  Jim then grinned and grabbed up his inflatable person and ran for the master room.  Spock quickly followed as the door to their suite opened.  He followed Jim into the master bathroom and shut the door behind him.

“What are you doing?” Spock asked as Jim placed the person in the tub and got in after it. 

“Get in. I have a plan,” Jim hissed back as he turned on the shower head and laid down in the giant tub.  Spock made a face but did as Jim told him and got into the tub.  He laid down next to Jim and noticed the human boy also has his voice changer.  Jim sat up and pulled the shower curtain across to hide the inflatable person and them.  He laid back down and grinned.

“My lower extremities are getting wet, Jim,” Spock whispered.

“Would you rather go to jail for fraud?”

Spock shook his head.  Jim grinned bigger and then held the voice changer to him and pressed the button.  He then proceeded to sing a Christmas song.  Spock nearly cringed at hearing a deep voice come out of the changer singing about a white Christmas. The door to the bathroom creaked open and Spock froze. They would get caught.  Jim kicked Spock’s leg and waved with his other hand for Spock to move the inflatable person about.  Spock nodded and grabbed the base of the inflatable and started swaying it back and forth, making the inflatable’s arms move about as it he was dancing.

They heard the bathroom open wider and Jim reached his free hand out and grabbed the inflatable and turned it towards the door.  Jim stopped singing and then yelled out, through the voice changer, “Hey you nosy creep! What the fuck are you doing in here?”

Jim and Spock heard a gasp from the doorway before hearing whoever was there slam the door shut and scurry away.  Jim dropped his voice changer into the tub and started laughing hysterically.  Spock bit his bottom lip to keep from laughing as well but then realized he couldn’t help himself and start to laugh with his t’hy’la.

*********************

Sarek and Amanda were beamed aboard the USS Olympus and immediately greeted by the Captain.

“I am Captain Ruiz,” the woman in command gold greeted them.  “Welcome aboard the USS Olympus.  I hear we have a runaway to get to in New York?”

Amanda had been smiling when they had beamed aboard, but she smile vanished when the Captain said ‘runaway’.  Amanda narrowed her eyes and said, “My son did not runaway.  He merely wondered off because of some logical reason that I look forward to finding out.”

Captain Ruiz nodded, “My apologies.”  She then motioned for an officer behind her to step forward. 

Sarek and Amanda looked to see a young man in command gold step forward to stand next to Captain Ruiz.

“This is Lieutenant Pike,” she said.  “He will be your liaison while aboard.  I have to return to the bridge now, but I hope we can sit and have a meal soon.”

Amanda gave the woman a small smile as she left before turning to Lt. Pike and asking, “Do you have any new information?”

“Yes, ma’am, I do,” Pike told her.  “The boy traveling with your son is James Kirk.  He is ten and from Riverside, Iowa.  It was his school group that Spock got mistakenly added to.”

“James Kirk? Okay…does his family know where he is?”

Pike shook his head, “His mother is an officer in Starfleet; she was notified and does not seem to…let’s just say that you and your husband are doing more than she is to get her child back.”

Hearing that made Amanda’s heart break slightly.  She couldn’t understand why James’ mother wasn’t trying everything she could to get to her child.

“Where are they in New York?” Sarek spoke up.

Pike looked to Sarek, “I am sorry, Sir, but we do not know yet.  We have them on surveillance video in the New York City shuttle station but we lost sight of them when they exited the station.  We think they may have taken a taxi someplace.”

Sarek nodded, “Have you tried sending notifications to hotels in the city?”

“There are over hundreds of hotels New York City, Ambassador.”

“Send out notifications,” Amanda demanded.  “Contact the local police…do something.  I want my son and James found.”

Pike gave them a smile and nodded, “Certainly, Ma’am.”

*********************

After laughing in the bathtub, Jim and Spock dried off and changed their clothes.  They then managed to leave the hotel without any problems from whoever had entered their room. They wandered a few blocks away and found a diner to stop in for dinner.  As they ate they discussed chess and science.  

Spock admitted to himself that he enjoyed being in the city with Jim and did not want their adventure to end.  He knew it would have to, though.  He had a feeling that his parents were on their way to him and it was only a matter of time before the hotel realized there was no Ambassador Sarek staying with him and Jim.

Spock internally sighed at the thought of returning to Vulcan without Jim as they left the diner. 

 _He is my t’hy’la.  We should stay together,_ Spock thought before feeling something hit him on his back.  Spock turned around and was hit in his chest this time.  He looked down at himself and saw wet snow on his jacket.  Looking back up, he saw Jim standing a few feet away, holding a ball of snow in his hand.

“Jim, what are you…” Spock got out before Jim threw the snowball at him; hitting him in the arm.

“Snowball fight, Spock!” Jim yelled before grabbing up more snow and throwing at Spock.

Spock ducked that time and scooped up a handful of snow and started to pack it into a ball when he noticed Jim take off running towards the park.  Spock threw the ball and hit Jim in the back.  It didn’t faze Jim as the blonde kept running.  The Vulcan shook his head, collected another snowball and then took off after his friend.

*********************

“Jim?” Spock called, slowly walking along the path in the park.  It was dark now and the only lights was the moon and stars above them and the few lamp posts illuminating the path. Spock had lost Jim and could not find him.  He stopped and looked around him, hoping to find his friend.  Inside, Spock was starting to get slightly panicked.  New York was a dangerous place.  What if something…someone took Jim?

“JIM!” Spock yelled.  The Vulcan dropped his snowball and was about to run for help to locate Jim when he heard a _whooshing_ sound.  Spock turned his head towards the sound in time to get a snowball to the face.

As Jim laughed nearby, Spock wiped off his face and thought of how illogical his mate was.  He got all the cold, wet snow off his face before glaring at Jim.

“Sorry!” Jim called to him.

Spock shook his head before grabbing up a large handful of snow. He slowly walked towards Jim.  As he went he packed the snow into a tight ball.  Jim was grinning at Spock and backing away as Spock approached.

“Spock, be nice,” Jim said. 

“I do not wish to be nice,” Spock replied before charging at Jim.

Jim’s eyes went wide and he turned and tried running, but the Vulcan was quick to get to him.  Spock grabbed Jim by his waist and spun him around to shove the snowball into the blonde’s face. When Spock released him, Jim ran his hand over his face and cleared off the snow before he burst out laughing. Spock quirked a brow at the illogical human.

Jim shook his head at Spock and then raised his arms up.  Jim smiled at Spock and then flopped back onto the snow.  Spock stood over him and watched Jim move his arms up and down against the snow as if he was flying as well as move his legs open and close. Spock was about to ask what Jim was doing but the human stopped and then raised an arm up to Spock.

“Help me up, Spock,” Jim requested. 

Spock grabbed Jim’s gloved hand with his and pulled him up to stand before him.  Jim gave him a dazzling smile before standing next to him and looking down at the snow where he was just laying.

“A snow angel, Spock.”

“I see.”

“You should make one.”

“No, thank you.  I have spent enough time in the snow already, Jim.  Vulcans are not used to the cold.”

“Oh shit, sorry.  I just…love snow and thought it would be fun to play with you in it.”

Spock looked to his companion and saw Jim looking sad again. He did not like that look on his t’hy’la so Spock sucked up his discomfort of being in the cold and flopped back onto the snow behind.  Jim’s eyes lit up at him as he watched Spock make a snow angel.  When he came time to help Spock up from the snow, however, Jim realized that the Vulcan was heavier than him and ended up falling to the snow beside him.

Jim laughed and turned onto his back and stared up at the stars.  He stopped laughing and smiled, “I’d like to be up there someday, Spock.”

“As would I.  The Vulcan Science Academy, where I hope to enter, has research vessels that I would like to be on one day.”  Spock turned his head to Jim and asked, “Do you plan to join Starfleet?”

“I don’t know.  Maybe…maybe not.” Jim turned his head to meet Spock’s gaze. He gave Spock a smile and then took his hand in his. “Maybe I’ll join you at the Vulcan Science place and we can explore the galaxy together.  I’ll be Captain though.”

“Since I am older, I should be the captain.”

“You’re only like three years older than me, Spock.  I am going to be captain.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

Jim pouted at Spock and looked at him with his big blue eyes, “I’m captain.”

Spock’s heart skipped a beat. “Okay.  You will be captain.”

Jim grinned, “Thanks, Spock.”

Spock nodded and squeezed Jim’s hand in his before a full body shiver washed over him.  It was quite cold to the Vulcan.

“C’mon, Spock,” Jim said.  He sat up and Spock followed suit before they both stood, still holding hand.  “Let’s get back to the hotel and get that fireplace working in our room.  I don’t want you to become a Vulcancicle.” 

“That is nonsensical, Jim, but I agree.”

Jim chuckled and laced their fingers together before walking with Spock back to the Plaza.

“I’ll also read you a story,” Jim said. “ _A Christmas Carol_. I have a paperback of the book in my book bag.”

“I look forward to you reading to me, Jim.”

“Good.  We’ll sit by the fire, get all warm and cozy and maybe order some hot chocolate.”

“I cannot consume chocolate.”

Jim stopped and looked to his friend with a look of shock, “What?”

“Vulcans have an adverse reaction to chocolate.”

“That sucks.  Hot chocolate is so amazing.  Well…we’ll just have to order you warm apple cider then.”

Spock nodded, “That would be acceptable, Jim.”

Jim’s wondrous smile came back, “Good. Now hurry back to the hotel.  You’re looking more and more like a Vulcancicle.”

“And you are looking like a Humancicle,” Spock responded which made his t’hy’la laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chapter will be on Wednesday ^-^


	4. Christmas Eve

Spock woke before Jim again the next morning and mediated for an hour.  His mother wasn’t as distressed as she was the day before and Spock had a feeling she was on her way to get him. 

Spock opened his eyes and stood up from where he sat meditating and looked to the small Christmas tree in their room.  He walked over to it and turned the lights on. 

 _Perhaps sa-mekh will allow me to keep the tree if Jim does not want it,_ Spock thought.  He shook his head and then turned off the lights before running his fingers over the wrapped box that was his present from Jim. _Wonder what he got me?_

“Hey, no peaking,” Jim told him.

Spock snatched his hand back and turned to see Jim standing in the doorway to the rooms with the double beds.

“You have to wait until tomorrow morning to open your present.”

“I know, Jim.  I was not intending to peak.”

Jim smiled, “Sure, Spock. Right.”

“You are up early.  I figured you would want to sleep in.”

Jim shrugged and walked over to Spock, “Thought about it, but then I thought we could get an early start today.  Go explore the city.”

“That is acceptable, however, I have procured us tickets to see the Nutcracker this afternoon at 2.”

Jim’s eyes went wide, “Seriously? Spock that’s awesome!” Jim then threw himself at Spock and gave him a big hug. “You are like the bestest friend ever, Spock.”

Spock allowed a small smile as he hugged his t’hy’la back, “I know.”

Jim snorted before pulling back from Spock. “Thanks.  Why don’t we go get breakfast at that diner and then go to the park?”

“No more snowball fights, Jim.”

Laughing, Jim nodded. “Fine. Fine.  No more snowballs.  The park has a zoo.  I thought we could check it out.”

“That is acceptable.”

*************************

As the boys exited the elevator, Hector quickly came up to them.

“Young Mister Spock,” Hector said, holding out an envelope. “Here are your Nutcracker tickets.”

“Thank you,” Spock replied, taking the envelope and putting it into his coat pocket.

Hector wrung his hands together and looked a bit sheepish, “I…um…was wondering if your father was still here?  I wished to offer my sincere apologies for yesterday evening.”

Jim burst out laughing, “You’re the one that walked in on him in the bathroom.”

Hector’s face went red. “Yes I did.  On accident.  I merely wished to…to see…”

“His naked butt?” Jim finished with a grin before laughing again.

“Of course not.”

“Hector, sir, my father has already left for meetings today and I do not believe you will be seeing him the rest of our stay here,” Spock told the man.

“Well I just wanted to…”

“I understand, however, would you like to face the person that saw you unclothed in the shower? I think not.  Good day.”  With that Spock took Jim’s hand and led him out of the hotel.

Hector watched the boys go before moving over to his concierge desk.  He picked up the communicator and called the Vulcan consulate in the city.  He rang once before a woman’s voice answered with a standard greet of “Vulcan Consulate of New York City.”

“I am calling from the Plaza Hotel.  I wished to speak or leave a message for Ambassador Sarek.”

“For what purpose?”

Hector rolled his eyes, “He is staying at this hotel and I wished to speak to him in regards to his reservation.”

“Ambassador Sarek is not on Earth.”

Hector grinned, “I see.  My mistake.  Have a pleasant day.” Hector disconnected the communicator and then grinned devilishly. “Bingo.” He then went to pick up the phone to alert the authorities but stopped himself. 

 _No,_ he thought. _I will see to this myself and then call the police.  Those two little…_

*************************

After a nice breakfast at the diner, Spock and Jim headed for Central Park and the zoo.  Spock paid their admission and Jim took his hand as they walked around the zoo.  Jim made sure they stopped at every exhibit they came to. 

Spock admitted to being fascinated by the Terran animals in the zoo. He had researched numerous species growing up, having been interested in the animals of his mother’s planet. 

“Penguins are so cute, Spock,” Jim nearly squealed, looking at the penguins.

Spock glanced to Jim and thought, _You are cuter._

He looked to the penguins waddling in their enclosure. “These are king penguins. Aptenodytes patagonicus.”

“Which are those?” Jim asked, pointing to some smaller penguins.

“The chinstrap penguin, also known as pygoscelis Antarctica.”

Jim smiled, “You’re like an encyclopedia, Spock. Ha ha, encyclopedia Spock.  Like the book series. _Encyclopedia Brown_.”

Spock raised a brow, “I am not familiar with those books, Jim.”

“They’re pretty good. Let’s go see the snow leopards next,” Jim said, grabbing Spock’s hand and pulling him down the path.

*************************

Pike walked quickly to Ambassador Sarek’s quarters on the ship and knocked. The door slid open and he walked in with a smile on his face. 

Amanda stood from where she was sitting on the couch and looked to him in suspense, “Any news?” Sarek walked into the living room area from the bedroom and looked to Pike blankly.

Pike nodded, “T’Pau just notified us that a man called the Vulcan consulate in New York City.  He said he works at the Plaza hotel and wanted to speak to Ambassador Sarek about his reservation at the hotel.”

“I do not have a reservation at that hotel,” Sarek said.

“It’s Spock!” Amanda exclaimed.  “He must’ve used your name to check in.”

“That was my first thought,” Pike said.  “We will be in Earth’s orbit in four hours and the Plaza hotel will be our first stop.”

Amanda smiled and kept back happy tears. 

“Will you notify authorities in the city?” Sarek asked.

“We could but if Spock and James did runaway, they may get spooked at seeing police at the hotel. I will notify the hotel that we are in route to them and to just keep an eye on the boys until we arrive.”

“That’s good,” Amanda said. “Thank you so much.  Have you heard anything from James’ mother?”

Pike sighed, “She said she would meet us in New York tomorrow.  Christmas Day.”

“I just don’t understand why she doesn’t want to get to the city as soon as she could.”

Pike shrugged, “I don’t know understand either, ma’am.  If he was my son, I’d drop everything to get to him as soon as I could.”

Amanda nodded in response and thought, _That’s what any parent is supposed to do._

 _Indeed,_ Sarek replied.

*************************

It was just about noon when the boys left the zoo.  They went for lunch and then Jim dragged Spock into a big department store to look around. 

“This place is expensive,” Jim commented as he looked through the children’s section.

“It is.  Do you plan to purchase anything?  Perhaps a gift for your family?”

Jim scrunched up his face, “No.  As I’m ten I can’t buy booze for my mom or Frank and I have no freaking clue what else they may want.  Sam…I don’t know what he’d like either.  We’ve never exchanged gifts.”

“I am sorry to hear that, Jim.”

Jim shrugged, “Its fine.  Grandma used to just give presents from her or Santa.”

“Santa is illogical.”

“We can’t be friends anymore if you stay stuff like that,” Jim teased.

Spock shook his head at the illogical human.  Jim chuckled and walked away to look a display of clothes.  Spock watched Jim for a moment before wandering off himself. He walked around the various departments in the store until he came to the jewelry section.  He went up to one display and peered into the shiny, glittering diamonds.

“May I help you?” a woman’s voice asked above him.

Spock looked up and saw a tall Andorian female standing behind the counter smiling at him.

“Looking for something for your mother perhaps?” she asked.

“I do not…” Spock started but Jim appeared next to him and told the Andorian ‘yes’.

Spock looked to his friend, “Jim, I do not know the types of jewelry my mother would wear.”

“We have gemstone items that would be perfect,” the Andorian told him.  “What is your birthstone?”

“Birthstone?” Spock questioned.

“Yeah, it goes with the month you were born,” Jim said. “I was born in January so mine is garland. What month were you born in?”

“Stardate…um…January,” Spock admitted.

Jim grinned, “We share the same birth month.  That’s pretty cool.”

Spock nodded as the Andorian walked away from them to another display and took out an item.  She them came back and laid it on the glass counter in front of Spock.  He looked and saw it was a silver necklace with a small silver disk attached to it that held a garnet stone imbedded in it towards the bottom of the disk.

“We can engrave this side with your name,” she explained. “And the other side can have your birthdate engraved as well.  This is quite popular for parents to receive for their birthdays, anniversaries, or Christmas.”

“It’s pretty, Spock.  You should get it for your mom,” Jim told him.  “A Christmas present and an ‘I’m sorry I ran off’ present.”

Spock nodded, “Logical.”  He then looked to the Andorian and told her his name of stardate of his birth.”

She smiled and went about getting the gift ready for him. 

“Now let’s find your dad a present, Spock.”

“I do not think my father…”

“Spock,” Jim nearly whined. “You can’t get your mom something and not get your dad something. What does he like?”

Spock thought about if for a second before replying, “Logic. Computers. Chess.”

Jim rolled his eyes, “Gosh y’all are boring.”  Jim then looked around the area they were in and saw something several feet from them.  He left Spock’s side and went to the display and grabbed a box from it before heading back to Spock.  “What about this? Do you think your dad would like it?”

“My father does not ‘like’ things, Jim.  He is Vulcan,” Spock stated before taking the box and looking at it.  “Go?”

“Yeah, it’s a strategy game like chess.”

Spock read the information about the game on the back of the box and raised an eyebrow.  “Fascinating. I do believe my father would…like this game, Jim.”

Jim gave him a big smile, “Great!”

Spock’s heart beat faster at the joy on Jim’s face.  He turned away to hid the blush to his cheeks and saw the Andorian was back at the counter in front of him.

“All ready to check out?” She asked. “Would you like these gift wrapped?”

Spock nodded and paid for the necklace and game.  The Andorian quickly wrapped the items and placed them in a bag before handing it back to Spock.

“Merry Christmas,” Jim told her before grabbing Spock’s hand and pulling him away. 

“Where are we going, Jim?  We have to leave for the Nutcracker in…”

“Ta-da!” Jim interrupted Spock as they came to stand before a photo booth.

Spock raised a brow and looked to Jim. Jim merely grinned before pushing Spock into the booth and getting in after him. Spock remained quiet as Jim started up the machine and started pressing buttons.

“It takes four pictures of us to print,” Jim commented.  “Here is the first one!”  Jim sat back next to Spock and smiled brightly at the camera in front of them.  Spock merely stared straight ahead with a blank look. The flash went off and then the picture displayed on the monitor before them along with a countdown to the next picture.

“Spock! Smile!” Jim told him.  Spock shook his head as the clock counted down.  He saw Jim on the monitor before Jim, turn to him and grin.  Spock was about to ask Jim what he was doing when the flash went off.  Spock blinked several times before seeing the picture on the screen.  Jim had been grinning at him.  Spock shook his head as the countdown started again.  When he got to almost one he felt Jim lean towards him and plant a kiss to Spock’s cheek.

Spock’s eyes went wide as the flash went off.  The picture was saved and the countdown started again.  This time Jim couldn’t stop laughing as Spock’s cheeks turned green and he held a hand up to his cheek that Jim had kissed.  The flash went off again.  Spock moved from the booth as Jim calmed himself from laughing.

 _My t’hy’la kissed me, my t’hy’la kissed,_ Spock kept chanting in his head as the spot on his cheek tingled ever so slightly.

Jim got out of the booth behind him and collected the photostrip that had printed.  Jim smiled and showed Spock.

“We take cute pictures, Spock.”

“The last two are not cute.” _Yes they are, t’hyla. I want to keep them._

“Well then…” Jim started before tearing the photostrip in half.  Spock’s heart nearly broke thinking Jim was going to destroy their cute pictures. He breathed a sigh of relief when all Jim did was hand him the first two pictures.  “Here, Spock.  You keep the first two that don’t show me kissing you and I’ll keep the other ones.”

 _I want the kiss one, though,_ Spock thought but nodded his head.  “That is acceptable.” Spock pocketed his two photos while Jim did the same.

“So we go to the Nutcracker now?” Jim asked.

“Yes.”

Jim smiled, “Awesome!  I’ve never seen the Nutcracker before so I’m really happy you got us tickets. You’re the best, Spock.”

Spock looked away and nodded.

“Are you cold again? Your cheeks are green, Spock.”

“No. No, I am well, Jim.  We should head to the theater now,” Spock said before picking up his bag and grabbing Jim’s hand. “Let us depart.”

*************************

“Thank you for purchasing me a Nutcracker, Spock.  You didn’t have to.”

“I wanted to, Jim.  You kept eyeing it during the intermission so it was logical to purchase it for you.”

Jim gave Spock a soft smile and hugged his Nutcracker to them as they made their way back to the hotel.  Spock put his arm around Jim’s shoulder and kept it there until they walked into the lobby. 

As they made their way to the elevator they were stopped by Hector and Pok. 

“Well, well, well,” Hector said with an evil grin. “If it isn’t the little thieves.”

“Thieves?” Spock questioned.  “We are no thieves.  I believe it is time to notify my father…”

“Ambassador Sarek is not your father and Vulcans cannot lie.  I called the consulate and they said Sarek is not on Earth.”

“I bet you aren’t even a Vulcan,” Pok sneered before reaching out and grabbing Spock’s ear.  Spock hissed in slight pain at the Ferengi pulling at his ear before he reached a hand out and nerve pinched him. Pok immediately fell to floor unconscious.

“Why you little…” Hector went to grab Spock but he side stepped him.  Jim pushed Hector and then ran towards the elevator with Spock following after.  The managed to get in as Hector had tripped of Pok on the floor and landed with a thud before the closing elevator doors.

“We gotta get out of here, Spock,” Jim said.

“Affirmative.”

When the elevator stopped on their floor, they ran out and down the hall to their room.  Spock quickly opened the door and they entered and locked it behind them.  Jim dropped his Nutcracker on the sofa and grabbed his backpack. 

“Quickly pack what you can and let’s get going, Spock.”

Spock nodded and dropped his bag of gifts for his parents and went to his father’s satchel.  He starting shoving in clothes as Jim opened the mini bar and grabbed items and put it into his bag.  Jim put some clothes in and was about to zip up his bag when someone starting banging on the door.

“Open up you frauds!  I’ve called the police and they will be here to arrest your shortly!” Hector’s voice yelled through the door.  The door handle jiggled as Jim went to a bag on the sofa and grabbed an item from it. 

“Jim! That is a phaser!” Spock said in shock. 

Jim grinned at him, “It’s a toy but it looks real, doesn’t it?”

Spock nodded as the door to the room burst open to reveal Hector and two security guards.  Jim turned to them and raised the fake phaser at them. Hector and the guards froze in the doorway and stared at Jim with wide eyes.

“Kid…kid, there’s no reason to resort to violence,” one of the guards said. “Lets be calm.”

Jim smiled, “I am calm.”  Jim then slung his backpack over his shoulder and started walking towards the three in the doorway.  “Spock. Time to go.”

“Indeed,” Spock said before grabbing his satchel and following Jim.  The people in the doorway, raised their hands up and backed out of the room as Jim approached them with the phaser pointed to them.

“Lets not doing anything you’ll regret,” the other security guard said.

“I won’t. Just keep moving away,” Jim told them. 

Jim and Spock managed to get out of the room and have the three people after him back down the hallway. When they got past the elevator Spock pressed the button and they stood in a standoff waiting for the elevator door to open.

When the door opened, Spock entered immediately and Jim backed up into.

“Hey, wait,” Hector called, dropping his hands. “I bet that’s not even a real…”

“PEW PEW!” Jim exclaimed aiming the phaser and fake lunging at them.  Hector screamed out and then threw himself to the ground with the security guards.

The elevator doors shut in front of Jim who proceeded to laugh hysterically. 

“That was amusing,” Spock admitted.

“Oh my god! It totally was!”

*************************

They managed to get out of the hotel without any trouble and wandered into the park.  When they got to the skating rink, they sat and let out a sigh of relief.

“That was scary,” Jim said. “Funny and scary.”

“Indeed,” Spock agreed.  He looked to his t’hy’la and grabbed his hand. “Where will we go now?”

Jim shrugged.

“Perhaps it is time to notify our parents.”

Jim looked to Spock; his eyes sad. “I guess you’re right.”

“Our adventure was fun while it lasted.  I will never forget these past few days with you.”

Jim nodded, “Me neither. Can we sit here for a while then get dinner.”

“Of course.  We can go to Rockefeller Center after we eat so we may see the tree.”

“Yeah, we’ll do that and then call our parents.”  Jim then scooted closer to Spock and rested his head against Spock’s shoulder.  Spock moved his head so his cheek rested on the top of Jim’s head.

*************************

Amanda opened the hovercar door before the car even came to a complete stop and ran into the Plaza hotel.  Sarek and Pike exited the car and immediately followed her.  They found her at the front desk demanding to know where her son was.

“I’m Spock’s mom, Amanda, and my husband is Ambassador Sarek.  Spock checked in with a boy, James, were are they?” Amanda questioned.

A man walked over to the desk and smiled at Amanda, Sarek, and Pike. “I am Hector, is there a problem?”

Gretchen looked to the concierge and said, “This is…Ambassador Sarek and his wife.  They…they are looking for their son.”

“Indeed,” Sarek spoke. “Where is Spock?”

Hector’s smile dropped from his face, “You…you do have a son named Spock?”

“Yes we do, now where is here?” Amanda asked.

“I…I thought he was a fraud,” Hector started before explaining what had transpired earlier with Spock and Jim. 

At the end of his story, Amanda glared and then slapped Hector hard across the face.

“You stupid piece of trash!” Amanda yelled. “You scared them! We sent word to this hotel earlier informing you that we were coming and not to get them!”

Hector’s bottom lip wobbled as he kept from crying, “I…we did not get that message.”

“I got the message,” Gretchen spoke up quietly.  “I got the message then went on break.”

“Why did you not inform your co-workers?” Pike wanted to know.

“I am so sorry.”

Pike glared at her before turning to Amanda and Sarek, “I’ll contact the police to put an alert out on Spock and James.  They should be sound soon.”

Amanda nodded and tried to keep from crying as Sarek discussed with Gretchen getting a room. Sarek took the suite key from her and led his wife up the room Jim and Spock had been in while Pike dealt with the authorities and the hotel staff.

*************************

Inside the room, Amanda nearly sobbed at seeing the tree in the corner and presents next to it.

“They were having a nice Christmas, Sarek,” Amanda said, keeping back tears. She went to the couch and picked up the Nutcracker laying there and held it.

“They will be found tonight, my beloved.  I assure you they will.”

Amanda nodded and placed the Nutcracker on the coffee table before picking up a bag on the floor.  She placed it on the couch and then went into the room with the double beds. She saw clothes strewn about as if packed in a hurry and it made her heart ache. She went back to her husband with her mind made up with what she was going to do.

“I am going to find Spock and James,” Amanda told her husband. 

“Amanda it is starting to snow again and New York is a big…”

“Sarek,” Amanda said in a tone that left no room to argue. “Our little boy is lost out there and I cannot sit here and wait for a stranger to find him. Now are you coming with me or are you going to wait here.”

Sarek looked at his wife and saw the fierce determination in her eyes.  He nodded. “I am coming with you.”

“Good. Let’s go.”

*************************

Spock watched Jim’s eyes light up at seeing the tree at Rockefeller Center.  The tree was ginormous with ornaments, garland, and tinsel adorning it. 

“Wow,” Jim said in ‘aw’. “It’s…beautiful.”

Spock nodded in agreement before taking Jim’s hand in his. “It is.  You were right to have us wait until this moment to view it.”

Jim turned his head to Spock and smiled.  His bright blue eyes twinkling from the lights of the tree. “I’m glad you’re here with me, Spock.”

“As am I, t’hy’la.”

“Twila? What’s that mean?”

Spock’s cheeks tinted slightly. “It means you.  Friend…brother…” _And_ s _omething else that is not appropriate at the moment because of our ages,_ Spock thought.

Jim smiled, “Twila?”

“T’hy’la.”

“T’hy’la,” Jim repeated.

Spock nodded, “Your pronunciation is…adequate.”

Jim laughed, “Adequate, huh?  Well now I have to learn Vulcan so you can tell me my pronunciation is perfect.”

“That is logical.”

Jim’s smile got bigger.  He looked away to the tree and stared at in silence for several moments.

“This is our tree, Spock.”

“It belong to the city of New York.”

“Nope. It’s ours.”

Spock allowed a soft smile at Jim then looked to the tree, “Okay, Jim.  It is our tree.”

*************************

“Amanda we have been searching for two point four hours,” Sarek told his wife who was going up to everyone she passed on the street and asking if they’d seen a Vulcan boy.

Amanda sighed as another person shook their head at her and walked away.

“Sarek, I can’t just go back to the hotel with Spock. Or James,” Amanda said.

Sarek went to his wife and took her hands, “We do not know where they would be, Amanda.  There are thousands of places in this city they could be.”

Amanda sniffled and nodded before getting an idea. “The tree.  They had a Christmas tree in the room.  Maybe they’re at Rockefeller Center? The biggest Christmas tree in the city.”

“Logical, but Amanda, they may not be there.”

“If they’re not then we’ll go back to the hotel and wait for the authorities to find them.”

Sarek nodded and released one of his wife’s hands so she could lead them to the tree.

*************************

Jim chuckled then noticed a mound of fresh know nearby. “I’m gonna go make a snowman.  Wanna help?”

“No thank you.”

“Suit yourself, Spock,” Jim said before taking his hand from Spock and walking away to the snow.

Spock watched Jim start his snowman then turned to sit at a nearby bench.

 _I wish my mother was here,_ Spock thought. _She would like this tree._

*************************

Amanda and exited the taxi before Sarek and walked quickly to the tree.  She stood in front of and looked around for her son and James.

Her eyes started to water when she didn’t see a sign of anyone.  She walked around the tree and stopped in her tracks.  There was her son.  He was faced slightly away from her as he looked to a boy nearby building a snowman.

Sarek walked up to his wife and internally sighed in relief. Amanda chocked out a happy cry and starting running towards her son.

*************************

“SPOCK!”

Spock arched a brow at hear his named called.  He turned around and his eyes went wide. “Mother.”

He stood just as his mother got to him and wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace.

“Oh my boy,” Amanda cried.  “You’re here and you’re fine!”  She pulled back slightly and looked him over. “You are okay, aren’t you? Not hurt?”

“I am well…” Spock was cut off when his mother pulled him back in for a hug.

“Don’t you ever do this again, Spock.  I was worried sick about you.”  She pulled back again and tried giving him a hard look with the tears she had in her eyes. “You are in so much trouble, kanbu. Wandering off like that.”

“I apologize…” Spock tried but Amanda pulled him in for another hug.

“My baby.”

Spock looked over his mother’s shoulder to his father for help and saw his father’s face was blank. Spock internally sighed and hugged his mother back.

She pulled away again and looked passed Spock to Jim.  Amanda smiled at the blonde boy as he walked slowly up to them.

“Hi,” Jim said. “Um…I’m sorry that Spock and I…”

Amanda moved from Spock to Jim and wrapped him in a hug.  “I am so happy you are alright, too.”

Jim looked surprise then hugged Amanda back.

Spock watched his mother and Jim hug.  He then flinched slightly at feeling a hand on his shoulder. Spock glanced up to see his father standing next to him.

Sarek pulled Spock close to him in an almost side hug then patted his shoulder.  “Spock, it would be best if you did not make your mother upset again.”

“I will not, sa-mekh.”

Sarek nodded his head slightly then removed his hand. Amanda stopped hugging Jim and moved slightly away to take the boys hand and pulled him over to where Spock and Sarek were standing.

“Its time to get out of the cold,” Amanda said.  She grabbed her son’s wrist and started dragging them to the street to catch a cab.

*************************

Back in the hotel, Jim and Spock were told to get in their pajamas and into bed.  Neither wanted to argue with Amanda so they quietly and quickly did as she asked.

Jim made himself comfortable under the covers as Amanda sat on the edge of his bed while Spock got into the other bed.

“Where’s my mom?” Jim asked.  “Is she here?”

“She’ll be here tomorrow,” Amanda told him. 

Jim looked said but nodded. 

“Now, it’s time to sleep. You two have had a long day.”

“We have," Spock said. 

Amanda smiled at the two boys then kissed each of their foreheads.

“Merry Christmas, you two,” Amanda said before moving to the door.  She turned the lights off as she left the room, shutting the door behind her.

As soon as the door shut, Jim got out of his bed and moved to Spock’s.  Spock arched a brow as Jim got under the covers next to him and cuddled against him.

“Night, Spock,” Jim said, wrapping his arms around Spock and resting his head on the Vulcan’s chest. “

Spock laid there frozen until he knew Jim was asleep then moved an arm around Jim and closed his eyes to go to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I plan on two more chapters. The next will be up maybe tomorrow and it will be short. Then I'll try and get the last one up on Friday for Christmas. ^-^


	5. Christmas Under the Mistletoe

Amanda peaked into the room and smiled at seeing her son and Jim asleep and cuddling in one of the beds.

“That is not…,” Sarek started but Amanda shushed him.

“It’s cute, Sarek.”

“If you say so, wife.”

“I do.  Let them sleep for a little while longer.  Its only 6:30.”

Sarek nodded.

******************************

A few hours later, Spock woke up feeling someone staring at him.  He blinked his eyes his open and found Jim’s face was very close to his.

“Morning, Spock! It’s Christmas!”

Spock moved his head back into his pillow and nodded, “Good morning, Jim.”

“Santa came last night!”

Spock arched a brow.

Jim chuckled, “Don’t say he’s illogical or you won’t get your present.”

“I was not going to say anything, Jim.”

“Riiight. Sure.”  Jim then got off Spock’s bed and waited for Spock to get up.  “Time to open our presents.”

Spock nodded, “Indeed.”

Jim grabbed Spock’s wrist and dragged him out of the room to see their tree was lit up on the side table.  Jim smiled big and went to it and grabbed his square present for Spock and turned to the Vulcan, holding it out to him.

“Merry Christmas, Spock!”

Spock’s brown eyes twinkled in delight as he looked at the present Jim was holding.  Spock walked around Jim and grabbed up the rectangular box for Jim.

“You two are so cute,” Amanda commented from the couch as Jim and Spock exchanged presents. 

“I know,” Jim replied with a grin as he sat next to her to open his present.

Spock went to a chair across from his mother and Jim and sat down.  He watched Jim tear off the wrapping paper to reveal his present.

“Oh wow!” Jim exclaimed, seeing what he had been given.  Jim then laughed and looked to Spock, his blue eyes shining bright. “An oven, Spock?”

“An easy bake oven.  For your sweet tooth.”

Jim’s smile got bigger as he looked back down to his gift and looked it over.  “So cool, Spock.  I definitely will be making some brownies with this.”

“I am please you like it,” Spock told him as his father came into the room from the kitchenette area. 

Sarek sat a cup of tea next to his wife then sat next to her. “Room service has been ordered.  It should arrive soon.”

“Thank you, Mister…um…Ambassador?” Jim said, unsure of how to address Spock’s dad.

“Sarek is appropriate, James.”

Jim nodded, “Jim is appropriate as well.”

Amanda smiled and then motioned for Spock to open his present. “What did you get, sweetheart?”

“It’s kind of silly compared to what you gave me,” Jim sighed.

Spock shook his head and unwrapped his present.  He neatly took the paper off to reveal a square box with no markings as to what was inside.  Spock put aside the paper and opened the box. 

“Jim, thank you,” Spock said softly as he pulled out a snow globe.

“You like it?”

Spock held the snow globe in his hands.  It was beautiful; showing Rockefeller center, a big Christmas tree, and figures ice skating around it.

“I do like it, Jim,” Spock replied.  He looked to Jim and kept from smiling.

Jim smiled at Spock, “Well I’m glad you like it.”

Spock was about to respond when someone knocked on the door.  Sarek got up and opened it to reveal Pike standing there with a bag in his hand.

“Morning.  Thought I’d stop by to see how the runaways were doing,” Pike said. Sarek let Pike in and was about to shut the door when room service showed up. 

Pike went up to Jim and Spock as Sarek dealt with room service.  He smiled at the boys and then pulled out two items from the bag. He handed a hat to Jim and Spock.

“Merry Christmas,” Pike told them. “I was limited to what I could get and had a couple of these on the ship.”

Jim had a black baseball hat with a yellow command symbol on the front while Spock was given one with a blue science symbol.

“They’re a little big, but you’ll grow into them.”

Jim nodded, “Thanks, Sir.”

“Lieutenant Christopher Pike. Nice to meet you, Jim.”

Jim looked to Pike and shrugged, “Yeah, nice to meet ya. I’m gonna go get food.”

“Food. Right,” Pike chuckled as Spock got up and followed Jim to the kitchenette.

******************************

Before eating breakfast, Amanda had Jim and Spock clean up and get dressed.  As they were in the middle of breakfast, which Pike was invited to stay and eat with them, someone banged on the door. Sarek shook his head at the rudeness before getting up and going to answer it. As he opened the door, a woman with blonde hair barged in and looked around.

“Jim!”

Jim looked to the woman and grimaced, “Mom.”

Winona Kirk turned towards the table and crossed her arms over her chest, “It’s time to go. Thank the people for putting you up for the night and get your stuff together.”

Jim nodded and left the table to get his clothes packed.  Amanda eyed Jim’s mother before standing up and walking up to her. She held her hand out to Winona as a man entered the room and looked around.

“Shit, this is fancy,” the man grumbled.

“Frank, don’t curse in front of these people,” Winona snapped to her husband before shaking Amanda’s hand and smiling. “I’m so sorry for any trouble Jim’s caused. Thank you for looking after him.”

“It was no trouble,” Amanda replied.  “Jim was a delight last night and this morning. The boys enjoyed their little adventure and most definitely won’t be doing it again.” Amanda chuckled lightly as Winona nodded.

“Jim’s butt will be grounded until he’s done with high school.”

Spock arched a brow at that before leaving the room to help Jim pack, but Jim was already done and came out of the bedroom with his backpack on and his duffle bag slung over his shoulder.

“He’s packed, Winona, let’s get going,” Frank said.

Winona looked to her son then nodded.  She smiled at Amanda and asked, “We’d like to help pay for whatever costs Jim rang up here at the hotel.”

“You don’t have to,” Amanda told her.

“I feel that I need to. Why don’t you come downstairs with us to split up the bill for this room?”

“That is logical,” Sarek said.

Winona went to her son and took his hand and pulled him behind her out of the room.  Amanda sighed and shook her head.

“Spock, get Jim’s oven and come downstairs with us.  You can tell Jim goodbye,” Amanda told her son before leaving the room with her husband.  Pike waited for Spock to pick up the oven and before they were out of the door, Spock remembered something.  He turned around and quickly went to the Christmas tree and grabbed the turtle doves as Pike picked up Jim’s hat.

******************************

Spock stood off to the side in the lobby as Pike went up to Jim and handed him his hat.

“Perhaps I’ll be seeing you in Starfleet someday?” Pike asked Jim.

Jim took the hat and shrugged, “Eh, maybe. Maybe not.” Jim then turned and walked over to where Spock was standing.

Pike smiled at the blonde before shaking his head and moving to where Sarek and the others were gathered at the front desk.

“The oven,” Jim said with a smile. “Thanks. I don’t want to forget that.”  Jim took it from his friend and held it as Spock pulled something from his pocket.

“When we were at the toy store, the counter attendant gave me these turtle doves,” Spock explained, holding them in the palm of his hand for Jim to see. “He said that they symbolize friendship.” _And love._

“Oh wow. That’s cool, Spock.”

“Indeed.  I want you to have one. As long as each of us has our turtle dove, we’ll be friends forever.”

Jim gave Spock a smile that made Spock want to take him with him to Vulcan.

“Spock,” Jim sighed happily. “Thank you.” Jim took one of the doves and held it in his hand.  “Have I told you how awesome you are?”

“You have told me that I am awesome once while saying ‘that’s awesome’ to something I have done for you twice.”

Jim chuckled, “You don’t forget anything do you?”

“No.”

“JIM!” Frank fussed. “A thirteen thousand credit room!”

Jim made a face and looked away from where the adults were standing. Spock narrowed his eyes at Frank as his parents told Winona and her husband that they would cover the room.

“No shit you’re covering the room,” Frank said.

“Frank,” Winona hissed at her husband. “We can get half even though it was probably their son’s idea to come here.”

“Excuse me?” Amanda asked, crossed her arms over her chest. “My son’s idea?”

“He _is_ the older one,” Winona said. “Jim may be a handful but he had never run away before he met your son.”

“Well Spock’s never…” Amanda trailed off and thought _Spock ran off once but that was different._ “Look, both boys are to blame, okay?  My husband and I can cover the room charge.”

“Are you saying I _can’t_ cover the room, because I assure you I can,” Winona snapped.

Jim sighed and shook his head before walking away to a quite spot where he couldn’t hear his mother argue with Spock’s parents. Spock followed Jim and stood with him in the quiet spot.

“Perhaps we can keep in touch?” Spock wondered.

Jim looked to Spock with sad eyes and shook his head, “I don’t think that would be a good idea.  Mom wouldn’t like it.”

Spock looked down the floor and nodded, “Indeed. Correspondence is not logical.”

“It’s not logical right now. Maybe when we’re bigger we can meet up again and be friends?”

Spock looked up and met Jim’s gaze, “We will meet again one day, t’hy’la.  It is inevitable.”

Jim gave him one of the smiles that made Spock’s heart beat faster and his stomach flutter. “How about at our tree?”

Spock gave him a very small smile in return, “That is logical. Our tree at Christmastime?”

Jim nodded as a group of older ladies walked passed them.  One of them stopped and looked at the two of them and grinned.

“It’s the young men from the pool,” she commented. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas,” Spock and Jim replied at the same time.

The woman looked up above them and chuckled, “Under the mistletoe, I see.” 

Jim and Spock looked up above them to see the plant hanging there.  The woman chuckled again then walked away with her group.

“What is a mistletoe?” Spock asked, looking from the plant to Jim.

Jim grinned, “Its…people are supposed to kiss under it.”

“I see.”

“It’s stupid, Spock.  We can just ignore…” Jim was cut off when Spock leaned down and pressed his lips to Jim’s in a chaste kiss.

When he pulled back they both had light blushes on their cheeks.  Jim smiled at Spock before grinning, “You took my first kiss.”

“Indeed, and you took mine.”

“JIM!” Winona yelled. “Time to go!”

Jim sighed and gathered up all his belongings. “Bye, Spock. Until me meet again.”

“Until we meet again,” Spock agreed, holding his hand up in a Vulcan salute.  Jim gave him a small smile before turning and heading to where his mother and Frank were standing.  Frank took his oven from him as Winona grabbed his wrist and led him out of the hotel.

Spock watched them leave and almost felt like crying as his parents came up to him.

“Did you exchange information to keep in touch?” Amanda asked, reaching her hand out and caressed the back of her son’s head.

“Negative.  Jim thought it was not wise.”

“Perhaps that is best,” Sarek commented.

Amanda sighed and nodded.  “We have a shuttle to get to soon, Spock.  Let’s go upstairs and get all packed up.”

“Yes, mother.”

As they walked to the elevator, Pike waved to them goodbye then left the hotel.

******************************

“Can we keep the tree?” Spock asked as he put the tree in its box and put away the ornaments.

“I don’t see why not,” Amanda told her son with a smile.

Spock nodded and made sure the bellboy took the tree and ornaments downstairs to their waiting transportation.  Spock then put his snow globe carefully in its box then put it in his suitcase.

Sarek, who had been downstairs overseeing their transportation, came into the door as the bellboy left, holding a bag.  He sat the bag on the couch then looked to a bag that was sitting in the corner.

“Spock, what are those?”

Spock turned to see what his father was asking him about and remembered what they were. He went to the bag and picked it up, bringing it over to his parents.

“I…I purchased presents for you two,” Spock said.  He pulled the wrapped gifts from the bag and handed over the gifts.

Amanda smiled at her son and opened her small gift to reveal the birthstone necklace. “Oh, Spock, it’s lovely.”

“The woman at the store said it was a popular gift for mothers and that my birthstone is garland.”

Amanda kept back happy tears, “Thank you. I love it.”  She then pulled her son in for a hug that Spock returned.

Sarek opened his and quirked up an eyebrow, “Go?”

Spock pulled from his mother’s embrace and looked to his father. “It is a strategy game. Perhaps we can play together.”

“That would be…pleasant, my son,” Sarek said.

Spock kept from smiling in response.

******************************

_I miss, Jim,_ Spock thought as he stood with his parents in the lobby of the hotel. Their luggage was being put into their transportation while they waited. 

 “Amanda,” Sarek said, handing his wife the bag from before.

“Oh, good. Perfect.”  Amanda took the bag and pulled out what looked to be a backpack with a lease attached.  “Spock, sweetie, put this on.”

Spock arched a brow in confusion, “What?”

Amanda looked to her husband and nodded.  Sarek took the item from his wife then wrangled his thirteen year old into it.  Spock put up a fuss and tried to get out of it but it snapped in the back so he couldn’t reach it.  He made a face as his father handed the end of the leash to his mother.

“Why, mother?” Spock asked, displeased by the harness with a teddy bear on his back.

“So you won’t wander off again,” Amanda smiled at her son before leading him to the transport.

Spock fought the urge to just throw himself to the ground and let his mother just drag him away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter take place twelve years in the future ^-^


	6. Together Again In A Snow Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tags for this chapter ^-^ first time and sexual content

**Twelve Years Later**

Jim opened to the door to his room and entered.  He dropped his bag down and let the door shut behind him before moving into the bed room area and plopping down onto Bones’ bed face first.

“Finished with exams, Jim?” Bones asked from where he sat at his desk.

Jim turned his head to the side to look at his friend and roommate, “Yep.  No more work until next semester. What about you?”

“All done.  Just getting my transport information in order.”

Sitting up, Jim looked to his friend with a quizzical expression, “What?”

Bones looked to his friend, “Shit, I forgot to tell you.  The ex-wife is letting me see Joanna for Christmas since I had all that work to do over Thanksgiving break.  I leave next Wednesday and won’t be back until after the New Year.”

“Bones, that’s great.  I know you cherish your time with Joanna.”

“What are your plans for Christmas break, Jim?”

The blonde sighed and stood up from the bed.  “Dunno.  I’ll think of something to do.  Maybe get a sad Charlie Brown tree for the room.”  Jim took off his cadet red jacket and threw it onto his bed before moving to the corner of the room and getting out a box.

“No more brownies, Jim.”

“Yes more brownies,” Jim replied, taking his easy bake oven from the box and setting it up.  “You love my brownies, Bones.”

“That I do, but they’re making me fat.”

Jim chuckled, “Nonsense.”

Bones shook his head and stood up from the desk to look over Jim’s shoulder. “That thing is what…ten years old?”

“Twelve.  I got it from a dear friend when I was ten for Christmas.” _Wonder what Spock’s up to?  Maybe I should look into contacting him,_ Jim thought.

*************************

Spock glanced to his snow globe on his desk and mentally noted that he was leaving for New York City in six point seven four days.  He looked back to his desk top and finished grading the final exams. This would the twelfth year of him going to New York for Christmas. After the year he ran away with Jim, his mother thought the city had been quite beautiful and he only had to do very little convincing to get his parents to go back year after year.  Now that he was an adult and in Starfleet, he went to New York by himself and then his parents joined the day after Christmas.  He wanted Christmas to himself in case Jim ever met him at their tree. Twelve years and no Jim.

Spock sighed and looked back to the snow globe.

_It would be logical to look up his contact information,_ Spock thought. _But what if he has forgotten me?_

He shook his head as someone knocked on his office door.  He told whoever was there to enter and heard the door slide open and footsteps enter his office.

Looking up, he noticed one of his top students standing before his desk. “Cadet Uhura, how may I help you?”

Uhura gave him a smile before sitting down at one of the chairs in front of Spock’s desk. “I just wanted to know if you’d graded my final exam yet?”

“I have graded it,” Spock told her. “You received a 97.”

“That’s great, Sir. Thank you.”

“Thanks are illogical, Cadet.  You performed satisfactory this semester and earned the appropriate grade for your work.”

Uhura chuckled, “Right. Sorry.”  She then looked to the snow globe and reached over and picked it up. 

Spock restrained himself back from snatching it out of the cadet’s hands.  It was his snow globe from Jim.

“This is quite pretty.  I’ve heard New York at Christmastime is beautiful.”

“Indeed it is,” Spock told her.  He watched he rolled the globe from one hand to the other and his restraint snapped.  He stood up slightly from his seat and reached across his desk to take the globe from Uhura.  She made a face at him but schooled her expression and smiled.

“Sorry, look and not touch, huh?” She asked as Spock put it back at its place on his desk.

“Yes.  It was a gift and I do not wish for it to break.”

“Any plans for the winter break, Professor? I know you probably do not celebrate the Terran holiday.”

“Actually, Cadet, I do celebrate Christmas.  Hanukah as well. I will leaving in six point seven four weeks for New York City.” _Hopefully this will be the year that Jim meets me at our tree._ “Do you have plans, Cadet?”

“Uhura, Professor Spock.  I think we’re friends now and can use first names.”

Spock internally sighed.  While he did enjoy her company from time to time, he did not know if he wanted to be on a first name basis with her yet.

“Uhura,” Spock forced out. “What are your plans?”

“My parents are coming into town for a few days and then for the rest of the time I’ll be preparing for next semester and hanging out with my roommate.  Someone has to keep her from bringing strange people back to our dorm room.”

“Fascinating.”

*************************

Jim held Bones’ bags as his friend checked in at the shuttle station. 

“Did you pack enough?” Jim chuckled. “Are there bricks in here?”

Bones snorted, “There presents for Joanna.”

“Oh right.  Did you pack the doll I got her?”

“The princess one? Yes.  She’ll love it, Jim, thanks.”

Jim smiled, “A princess doll from her Uncle Princess Jim.”

Bones laughed as he finished his check-in. He turned to Jim and took his bags from the blonde.  They headed for the right shuttle and Bones handed over his bags to be boarded. He turned to his friend and gave him a hug.

“Don’t just drink yourself merry, Jim, do something for Christmas.”

Jim hugged his friend back then pulled away. “You know what…I will do something.  I went to New York when I was a kid. It was amazing.  I’ll go there and spend Christmas.  Take in a show or two.”

Bones smiled at him, “That sounds wonderful, Jim. I put your present on your bed before I left.”

“And I shoved your present in with your underwear.  Don’t drink it all in one sitting.”

Bones clapped Jim on the shoulder, “See ya in the New Year, kid.”

“You two, Leonard.  Tell Joanna ‘hi’ for me and have a fun trip.”

Bones nodded and headed into the shuttle as Jim walked away. 

When he got back to his dorm room, he grabbed his duffle bag from the closet and started packing. _New York City,_ Jim thought.  _Maybe Spock will be at our tree.  If he is, I should bring my turtle dove._ He stopped shoving clothes into his bag and turned to his desk.  He opened a draw and pulled out a small metal container that once held crayons.  He opened the top and smiled down at the contents. 

The two pictures from the photobooth that showed Jim kissing Spock and laughing about it, ticket stubs from seeing the Nutcracker and the Rockettes, and his turtle dove. Jim carefully picked up the dove and held it in the palm of his hand.  He stared at it for a few moments before placing it back in the container and shutting the lid.

“Time for New York, Jim,” Jim told himself. He put the container in his duffle back before thinking he would try and stay at the Plaza.

*************************

“I’m sorry, Sir, but we are booked,” the woman, Leeza, at the Plaza’s front desk told him.

Jim sighed. “C’mon, its Christmas.  Surely there must be one little room available?”

“It is two days before Christmas, Sir, and we do not have any rooms.”

Jim kept from groaning before asking, “I bet you do have rooms and you just don’t want me staying here.  Still upset about the phaser incident or something?”

*************************

Spock exited the elevator and started walking through the lobby towards the front door.  By chance he glanced to the front desk and saw a blonde arguing with the clerk. Spock stopped in his tracks. His heart started beating loudly in his side as he turned and stared at the back of who he hoped was Jim.

He walked closer to the human and started to hear what he was telling the clerk.  Spock nearly smiled when the blonde asked if he wasn’t allowed to stay because of a phaser incident.

_Jim!_

*************************

“Sir, I have no idea what you are talking about,” Leeza said.  “We do not have any rooms available.”

Jim groaned that time and picked up his bag angrily off the floor before turning around.  He headed for the door but stopped when he felt someone staring at him.  Jim turned his head and saw a Vulcan standing not too far from him.

“Spock?”

The Vulcan nodded and Jim dropped his bag and rushed to Spock, wrapping his arms around his childhood bestie.  Spock internally beamed and thought _Finally_ as he hugged Jim back. Spock took in Jim’s scent and relished in having his t’hy’la.

Jim reluctantly pulled back from Spock and smiled big. “Spock, look at you! You filled out.  Still taller than me, though.”

“Indeed.  You have…filled out as well, Jim.  It is pleasing to see you again.”

Jim’s eyes were as blue as Spock remembered, perhaps bluer. 

“What are you doing here, Spock?  Hoping to run into me?” Jim chuckled and asked.

“Yes,” Spock replied bluntly. 

Jim was taken back by that response and blushed. _He remembered. And he’s gotten hot._

_Jim has become quite aesthetically pleasing,_ Spock thought.

“I…I overheard your argument with the clerk,” Spock said. “I have a suite with an extra bed.”

“Are you asking me to stay with you, Spock?”

“It is logical.  There is a snow storm on its way and finding suitable lodging will be difficult.”

Jim nodded, “Right. Logical.  You wouldn’t happen to be staying in the suite we stayed in all those years ago, would you?”

Spock tried keeping the green blush from tinting his cheeks as he nodded. “Perhaps.”

Jim laughed, “Alright then. Lead the way then.”

Spock turned and led Jim to the elevator.

*************************

_Jim is here, Jim is here, my t’hy’la is finally here,_ Spock kept chanting in his head as he opened the door to the suite. He held the door open for Jim to enter and internally beam when Jim smiled big at seeing how it hadn’t changed since they were kids.

Jim looked around the living area then zeroed in on a small tree on table in the corner by a window.  Jim dropped his bag down and walked up to it. It was just how he remembered the tree; with the ornaments put in precise locations and silver tinsel thrown onto it.

All that was missing was the second turtle dove to go with Spock’s.

Spock came up to Jim and looked at the turtle dove. “I understand if you do not have your turtle dove, Jim. It has been twelve years.”

Jim looked to Spock and smiled before going to his luggage and knealing down. He zipped open the bag and riffled through the contents before pulling out the metal container.  Standing, Jim turned back to the Vulcan.

“Twelve years or not, I would never forget or get rid of my turtle dove, Spock.”

Spock’s heart skipped a beat as Jim walked over and placed the container on the table. Jim opened it and Spock saw the half of a photostrip and the turtle dove.  Jim gave him a smile that took Spock back twelve years.  Jim took the turtle dove and placed it on the tree next to Spock’s.

“There,” Jim said. “Now they aren’t lonely anymore.”

“Indeed.”

Jim looked to Spock, his eyes twinkling. He reached a hand out and grabbed Spock’s wrist.

_T’hy’la,_ Spock thought.

“Missed you, Spock. Sucks we couldn’t meet at our tree, but this is nice.  Thanks for letting me stay with you.”

“This is nice, Jim. We can go see our tree Christmas Eve.  How long do you plan to stay in the city?”

Jim released Spock’s wrist and shrugged, “Probably until New Years. Maybe.  I don’t have to be back at the academy until the tenth of January.”

Spock turned to Jim and raised a brow, “Academy?”

Jim nodded, “Yep, I joined Starfleet.  Just finished my first semester.  What about you? Did you go to the VSA?”

“No.  Perhaps we should go get dinner, Jim.  Talk about the past twelve years?”

“That would be great.”

*************************

After twelve years, the bistro was not there anymore.  Jim was a little sad, but Spock took him down the street to a tavern Spock had discovered two years before that had good food.  They sat a table near a window because Jim wanted to watch the snow storm come through.

“Snow is illogical,” Spock commented as they ordered their food. Spock ordered a vegetarian stew while Jim ordered a burger.

Jim laughed at his friend, “Still pissed about the snowball fight?”

“Indeed.  Also, I came down with a cold on the transport back to Vulcan.  My mother was not pleased as I can be…stubborn when sick.”

Jim grinned, “Poor, kanbu.”

Spock’s eyes went wide.  Jim grinned bigger and blushed slightly. “I told you I’d learn Vulcan. I think I’m pretty good with it, don’t you think?”

“Kanbu is a simple word to pronounce.  I am not impressed,” Spock replied, giving Jim a little smirk.

“Oh simple, huh?  How about…kastik-goh-yokulsu? That’s difficult to pronounce.”

“If you think it is difficult, Jim.”

Jim laughed in response. “You’re funny, Spock.  So, anyway, if you’re not at the VSA, what are you doing then?”

“I am a lieutenant commander in Starfleet.”

Jim’s jaw dropped.

“I also am a professor at the academy.”

“You’re at the academy?”

“Yes. I did just say that.”

“I’m at the academy.”

Spock arched a brow, “I am aware. Are you well, Jim?”

 “Yeah, its just…why the fuck haven’t we run into each other?  We couldn’t gotten together months ago!”

Both of Spock’s eyebrows raised up at hearing Jim say ‘gotten together’.

Jim blushed and raised a hand to scratch the back of his head sheepishly. “That’s…I mean…gotten together to catch up and reignite our friendship.”

Spock internally sighed, _Of course. Friendship._

“So…why Starfleet?” Jim asked, changing the topic a bit. “Didn’t you want to go to the VSA?”

“That was my goal, yes, however when they council accepted me they stated that I had accomplish much despite my human disadvantage.”

“I’ll fight them.”

Spock almost chuckled, “No.”

“Yep, gonna fight them.  Human disadvantage my ass.  You’re awesome, Spock.”

“As are you, but I declined admission and came here. My focus is in the sciences.”

“Command for me.  You remember that Pike guy from when we were kids?”

“Captain Pike,” Spock corrected. “I remember and I am will be on the Enterprise as his first officer in two years.”

“Me two, but I’ll be captain.”

“Jim…”

“Nope, Spock, I’m captain. We already discussed this.  Anyway, Pike found me beat up in a bar in Riverside, dared me to do better than my father so I joined Starfleet.”

“Why were you beat up in a bar?”

“I was running my mouth to the wrong guys. You know, talk shit, get hit sort of thing. Not the first time that’s happened.  I’m really glad I’m in Starfleet now, though.  I wasn’t in a good place and need a change. A good change.”

Spock nodded.  “And how are your parents? The last I saw of them they were not pleased by us running away.”

Jim snorted, “Parents.  Frank left mom for a younger thing a few years after that.  Tried taking my dad’s car with him so I ran if off a cliff.  Mom sent me to Tarsus after that. She didn’t want to deal with me and a divorce and Sam had already bailed.”

“Tarsus?” _My t’hy’la, I am so sorry._

Jim looked sad and adverted his gaze from Spock and sniffled, “A hell I’m not quite ready to tell you about at the moment.”

“I understand and I am sorry you lived through that terrible ordeal.”

Jim nodded and made himself smile.  “Enough with depressing shit. It’s Christmas and it’s going to snow soon. Lets eat and then go ice skating.”

“A good idea, Jim.”

*************************

“Okay, so that was a bad idea,” Jim commented as they forced themselves into the hotel an hour later.  Just as they had gotten to the park, the snow storm arrived. Heavy snow and wind forced the two back to the hotel.

“A bad idea, indeed,” Spock agreed, shaking himself off of the excess snow in the lobby. 

Jim laughed and shook his head to get the snow out of it as a hotel worker came up to them.

“Mr. Spock, we received your message and have started the fire in your room,” the man said.

“Thank you,” Spock replied.  “What provisions does the hotel have in regards to the blizzard?”

“We are fully stocked, Sir.  Room service is available and our other amenities as well.”

“Good. Thank you.” Spock then motioned for Jim to head for the elevator.

*************************

In the room, Jim shrugged out of his winter gear jacket and removed his gloves.  He walked to the lit and roaring fire and stood in front of to warm up.  Spock watched him then came over and joined him.

“Thanks for getting this started.  Feels great,” Jim said.

“Indeed it does.  Would you like me to order you some hot chocolate?”

“Oh yes. That sounds great. Shit, I should’ve brought my easy bake oven.  Could’ve made us brownies.”

“You still have the oven?”

“Yep. Works great too.  Make me and my roommate brownies and goodies all the time.”

Spock nodded and moved to comm room service.

*************************

Jim had brought some blankets into the living room and placed them on the floor in front of the fire.  He sat on them and sipped his hot chocolate while Spock told him how his parents were. 

“That’s great that they come join you here,” Jim commented. “Haven’t had a good Christmas since ours.”

“I am…”

Jim chuckled, “Stop saying ‘sorry’. Its okay, Spock.”

Spock nodded and moved from the couch to sit next to Jim on the floor.

“How pissed were your parents after I left?”

“My parents do not get pissed.  My mother, however, she…” Spock trialed off and mumbled the rest of his sentence.

“What was that, Spock?” Jim asked, grinning at the Vulcan. “I think I heard something about a leash?”

Spock sighed out and nodded, “My mother insisted I wear a…child harness while we were in route back to Vulcan.”

Jim bit his bottom lip and kept from laughing. It didn’t work.  He burst out laughing and fell to the side to the lay on the floor, laughing hysterically.

Spock shook his head and hung his head back to stare at the ceiling and curse child leashes. His eyes widened at seeing a mistletoe hanging from the ceiling above him.

“Jim.”

Jim kept laughing.

“Jim.”

The blonde calmed himself and stopped laughing, “What, Spock? I’m sorry about laughing, but that was too funny.”

“Jim, above you,” Spock said.

Jim sighed and sat up.  He looked to the ceiling and chuckled. “Did you plan this?” Jim turned his head to Spock and wiggled his eyebrows.

Spock’s cheeks tinted green, “No, I did not.”

“Riiight.” Jim teased before leaning over and kissing Spock’s cheek. The contact sent a spark through the two and Jim moved back with a gasp. “You shocked me. Again.”

Spock rubbed a hand to his cheek and sighed out, “T’hy’la.”

“You…t’hy’la? You said that before.”

“I did,” Spock said, looking to Jim.  The blonde’s eyes were bright and beautiful as he stared back at Spock.

“T’hy’la,” Jim said again, his pronunciation flawless to Spock’s ears. “Friend…brother…” Jim paused and licked his lips.  Spock’s brown eyes looked to the pink tongue. “Lover.”

“Yes,” Spock told him, leaning forward towards Jim.

“You didn’t tell me about to lover part when we were kids,” Jim teased, moving closer to Spock.

“It was not appropriate.”

“Well,” Jim grinned, reaching out to run a finger over a pointy ear. “I am not ten anymore, Spock.” Jim then grabbed Spock by the back of his neck and pulled him in for a deep and passionate kiss.

Spock returned the kiss with fervor, slipping his tongue inside Jim’s mouth causing the blonde to moan and run his hand through Spock’s hair. Spock moved forward, laying Jim down on the blankets and moving above him. He broke the kiss and stared down at his soon-to-be mate. Jim panted from the kiss and saw heat in Spock’s eyes.

“Keep going,” Jim whispered.

"I plan to," Spock replied softly before divesting the two of them of their clothes and trailing kisses and little bites all over Jim, making his t’hy’la moan and mewl under him and beg for more.

“Spock,” Jim whimpered. “Please.”

Spock was aching hard as he prepared Jim with his natural lubricant from his cock.  He removed his fingers and wrapped Jim’s legs around his waist. Jim was on fire as he moaned and arched his back as Spock finally entered him.

*************************

Jim and Spock lost track of how long they spent intertwined with each other on the floor in front of the fire place as the blizzard roared outside.  Spock had wrung orgasm after orgasm from Jim and relished in all the sounds his new lover made under him and once while on top riding him.

Jim had just reached his final climax of the night and plopped back onto the blanket and panted, catching his breath as Spock laid on his back beside him. The Vulcan was flush green all over as he managed his own breathing.

“Merry fucking Christmas to Jim,” Jim breathed out with a small grin. He turned his head to Spock and asked, “Where did you learn that trick with your tongue?”

Spock looked to Jim, “I did not learn it.  I have never done that before.  Never done any of that before.”

“Bullshit?” Jim asked, turning onto his side and propping himself up with his elbow. “You…were a virgin?”

“Yes.  I take it you were not?” Spock questioned, trying to keep down a surge of jealousy. Jim was his now.

Jim shook his head, “I wasn’t but...a lot of what you did, I had never had done to me before.”

“Good.”

Jim chuckled and cuddled up against Spock, “Second best Christmas ever, Spock.”

“Spock wrapped his arms around Jim and nodded, “Indeed.”

“Give me…until the morning and we’ll do that again.”

“Affirmative.  Vulcans have increased stamina but I do need to rest.”

“Good.  We’ll sleep now, order room service later than we can sneak down to the pool area and I’ll ride you in the Jacuzzi.”

“No, Jim.”

“Yes, Spock.”

*************************

Three days later, Jim and Spock woke up wrapped around each other in the king size bed.  Jim turned to Spock and smiled, “Morning.”

“Good morning, ashayam.”

“Are we using pet names?  Can I call you Spockums?”

“Only in private,” Spock said, before rolling on top of his mate. Jim grinned and wrapped his arms around Spock and arched up into him.

“Christmas morning, sex? Do you not have another present for me?”

“Only a small gift I purchased from the gift shop downstairs, but I wish to have you before I give you that present.”

Jim huffed out a light laugh before pulling Spock in for a kiss.  They didn’t hear the door to the suite open or footsteps come towards the room.  They did hear the door open and a gasp from the doorway. Spock moved from on top of Jim and pulled the covers over them as they looked to see his parents standing there.

“Mother, father,” Spock said in shock.  “You are here early.”

Sarek was looking towards the window, away from Jim and Spock as Amanda covered her mouth to keep from giggling.

“We got an early transport because the storm let up,” Amanda said. “Oh, Jim, is that you?”

Jim blushed a waved at Amanda, “Yep. Hi.  Nice to see you again.”

“Oh its so nice to see you again,” Amanda told him before moving towards the bed to shake Jim’s hand.  Sarek stopped her and pulled her from the room.

“Give them privacy to get dressed, wife,” Sarek said, shutting the bedroom behind them.

Spock sigh and flopped back on the bed as Jim laughed.

“Merry Christmas, Spock,” Spock said to himself, upset that his parents had ruined his morning with Jim.

*************************

A week later, Bones entered his dorm and found Jim lounging on his bed. Bones dropped his bags and saw a plate of brownies on his desk.  He took one then sat on the edge of the bed and faced Jim.

“Good break?” Bones asked.

Jim nodded, “Yep. How was Joanna?”

“She’s an angel.  Loved all her presents, especially from Princess Jim.”

Jim smiled, “That’s good.” He then sat up and faced his friend. “So I have news.”

Bones raised an eyebrow. “Good news or bad?”

“Um…good.  Really good. I sort of…kind of…got married on New Years.”

Bones dropped his brownie and stood up, staring at Jim with wide eyes, “WHAT?”

Jim smiled sheepishly, “I got together with my friend from when I was ten.  He and I connected...really connected...and one thing lead to another so we bonded on New Years.”

“Bonded?”

“Yeah, he’s Vulcan. We melded, a bond happened, so…yeah. I’m a married guy now.”

Bones plopped back on his bed and shook his head, “Jim. Jim. Jim. What?”

Jim chuckled and moved to sit next to his friend. He wrapped an arm around Bones and rested his head against his. “Sorry I couldn’t have my best man there.  It wasn’t planned. Bones, I love him and he’s great and I think you and him will be bestest of friends.”

“Jim…” Bones sighed. “I ain’t gonna be best friends with a damn hobgoblin.  Are you happy, though?”

“I am happy.  Spock makes me the happiest I’ve ever been,” Jim said as their door was knocked on.

"Spock? Wait..not Professor Spock."

Jim ignored his friend and went to answer the door as Bones shook his head and followed.  He watched Jim open the door to reveal a Vulcan standing there.

Bones made a grumpy face, “Jim, this is Professor hobgoblin? He gave me a B minus on my paper last semester.”

Spock arched a brow, “You earned that B minus, Cadet.”

“Listen you…” Bones tried but Jim got between them and stopped him.

“Guys, stop.  Ya’ll gotta be friends because I said so.  Now, Bones you need to process all that I’ve told you and Spock and I need to go shopping.  We’ll see you later for dinner. My treat.”

“Why do ya’ll need to go shopping?” Bones asked.

Jim blushed as Spock looked away, “Well, Spock and I kind of broke his couch last night.  Need to get a new one.”

Bones groaned and threw his arms up in the air, “Did not need to fucking hear that.”

Jim laughed and told his friend goodbye before leaving with Spock. Bones shut the door and banged his head against it. 

_Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Leonard.  Dammit, Jim! I'm gonna end up stuck on the damn Enterprise with you two horn dogs._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas!! Hope you enjoyed this story! Jim and Spock got very happy endings ;)
> 
> For those who are reading The Nanny, I cannot update today. I don't have the next chapter written. I will try and get the next chapter up tomorrow or Sunday, though. 
> 
> Now, I am a grown ass woman and I am going to put together my new Lego Millennium Falcon ^-^

**Author's Note:**

> kudos and comments are most appreciated! ^-^


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